Secrets Left Behind
by zyxw
Summary: My attempt at a Hermione time travel.  There will be action. There will be romance. There will be friendship. I just don't know when yet.  But it will be good so r&r. hg/sb
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOT. IF I DID, WORMTAIL NEVER WOULD'VE ESCAPED IN YEAR 3 AND HARRY AND SIRIUS COULD BOTH LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

"Prongs? Hey Prongs! Isn't that Alastor Moody? What's he doing here?" The Marauders were currently hiding in an alcove behind a tapestry near the headmaster's office. It was just after lunch and with much persuading they'd managed to convince Moony to join them in skiving off class to set up a prank.

"Shut up, Padfoot!" James Potter, otherwise known as Prongs, hissed at his best friend.

"You don't think the rumors are true do you?" Peter Pettigrew, Wormtail, whispered, a hint of fear in his voice.

"Don't be ridiculous, Peter!" Remus Lupin, the aforementioned Moony, told his friend. "Alastor Moody is Head Auror. He's not going to quit to become a professor."

"But haven't you heard the other rumor, Moony?" James joined in, forgetting in his excitement that they were supposed to be quiet. "I heard his eye got blasted out in a battle with a death eater a couple weeks ago. Maybe they're getting rid of him because of it."

"Even if they fired him from the Auror's Office, he's high up in the Order of the Phoenix! He wouldn't have the time to teach," Sirius Black, Padfoot, the teen to originally breech the topic, told his friends.

"The Order of the Phoenix is a fairytale, Pad-" But Moony was cut off.

Suddenly the tapestry was pulled aside and the four teens stood staring into the eye of Alastor Moody. That's right. Eye. The other was covered by a patch. "Boys," Moody growled, "I think you should be joining me in Dumbledore's office." The four slumped out of their hiding place and fell in step behind Moody with Sirius in front. "Contrary to what you may think, Mr. Black, your education is important. No part of it more important than defense. Remember that."

"Ah, Alastor, old friend," Professor Dumbledore called when they entered his office, "I see you've found some stragglers. How are you this afternoon, boys?" When they remained silent he continued, "You may return to your classes. I'll inform Professor McGonagall of this later."

They all groaned as they walked out of the room. The adults inside waited until they were sure no one was around to hear before they continued talking.

"Today is the day, Alastor. Are you ready?"

"Been ready for seventeen years, Albus. It's time to bring my little girl home."

"Shall we be on our way then?"

Alastor simply nodded and followed his friend out of the castle to the main gate.

* * *

><p>Hermione didn't know what to think. Today was her seventeenth birthday and she barely had time to open her gifts from Harry, Luna, Neville, and the Weasleys before Professor McGonagall called her to the Headmaster's office. They all knew what it meant.<p>

With the war swiftly approaching and this particular group of DA members proving to be the most focused and loyal, they were notified after the Ministry battle that on their seventeenth birthdays, regardless of whether they had graduated or not, they would be offered membership into the elite society that they'd admired for years. Long before they moved into Grimmauld Place two summers earlier, they'd heard rumors about the Order of the Phoenix.

Hermione was the oldest. She was the first. Today was her day. And she couldn't be more nervous. Harry had given her hand a reassuring squeeze and whispered "good luck" as she passed.

Now, here she sat alone in Grimmauld Place—somewhere she swore she'd never go again after Sirius's death only three months earlier. But here she was, playing with the white gold bracelet Harry fastened around her wrist only seconds before she was removed from the Great Hall. It was delicate, obviously goblin-made, with three strands of white gold braided together. One rune was engraved on each strand: friendship, strength, loyalty. The reverse side lay flat against her wrist with a simple message: "All you & always, Harry." She almost cried when she read it. Most people in Hogwarts thought that there was a secret love connection between the two. It was only their closest friends that realized Hermione and Harry were simply friends, close friends, best friends, but only friends. Hermione thought of Harry as a brother, plain and simple.

Her head shot up and her right hand flew to her left shoulder where her brand new Phoenix tattoo now lay resting when she heard the door of the Black family library creak open. When Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall entered with Mad-Eye Moody, Dumbledore pulled her school trunk behind him. Hermione's eyes shot open. Was she being expelled? Did the Order require some sort of special boot camp-style training? Were they sending her away with Moody? Now she was truly afraid.

She wasn't prepared for what happened next. Moody smiled. Then he hugged her, releasing instantly when she winced from the pain in her shoulder.

Seeing the look on her favorite pupil's face, Professor McGonagall took pity and started explaining, "Hermione, dear, did your parents ever tell you that you are adopted?" Not understanding what her adoption had to do with anything Hermione nodded. "Well, there is more to that adoption than your parents ever knew. You see, dear, you are in fact, a half-blood witch."

Hermione remained silent but nodded at this news. So she was a half-blood? That news wasn't so disturbing that she needed to be leave the castle and be comforted by two professors and a man that, to be completely honest, scared the heck out of her.

"There's more," Moody told her in the kindest voice she'd ever heard come from him. "Hermione, you are not from this time."

"I'm not from this…" she trailed off. What was going on here? If she's not from this time then when?

"No, dear," McGonagall continued. "You were born in 1959 to Alastor and Isabelle Moody."

"Mad-Eye?" she gasped. "Mad-Eye is my father?"

"I am and it's time for you to go home," Moody told her.

"Home?"

"Back in time," Dumbledore spoke for the first time that day. "Back to 1976. You will return to Hogwarts in the time that you belong. And you will leave today. This should explain it all, but you mustn't read it now. First we need to go to Hogsmeade."

Hermione could only nod and follow them to the fireplace where she called out "the Hog's Head" and stepped into the green flames. She was surprised to see Harry and Ron sitting at a corner booth when her feet made contact with the stone floor of the fireplace.

"They won't remember you the way that you'll remember them but I thought you might like to say goodbye," Moody whispered to her as he stepped out of the fireplace behind her.

"Mione!" Harry shouted as he jumped up and ran to her, embracing her tightly. "Professor McGonagall's just told us about your special training."

"Training?" she asked.

"For the Order, of course!" Ron added. "You'll do brilliantly, I'm sure," he continued also hugging her.

"Yes, training." She played it off as nerves.

"We'll miss you this term. You can tell us all about it at Christmas, though!" Harry told her with a little extra squeeze as Moody cleared his throat.

"Time to go," Moody told her and she was released from her tight group hug.

"I'll miss you so much," Hermione told them with a tear in her eye. She kissed each of them on the cheek before leaving with Moody and Professor Dumbledore. The boys stayed behind with their head of house.

Once outside they turned down the nearest alley where Hermione was told to read the letter. In two minutes a bright flash of light lit the alley and Hermione was gone.

* * *

><p>"Professor," Harry asked, "why are we in Hogsmeade on a school day?"<p>

a/n: I am attempting to fix some issues with this story. It's my favorite that I've written so far and I've got a bit of writer's block. I'm hoping if I re-read this as I edit it, it'll help me beat the block.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING!

"Come on, Prongs," Sirius urged, "He's friends with your parents. I've seen him at your house. He lives in Godric's Hollow. You have to know something."

"I told you before, Padfoot, I don't know anything. He comes over for dinner once a month. He never even brings Hermione when he comes over. The man's a mystery!" James was getting exasperated. Since they saw Moody at the school that afternoon it was all his best mate could talk about. It was after dinner now and James was desperately trying to set up the prank they had been working on that afternoon but Sirius just wouldn't shut up and help.

"Hermione? Who's Hermione? Sounds kind of bookish."

"Hermione's his daughter," James answered with a sigh. "And her mum was beautiful, actually. I hear that she takes after her, but like I said I've never met her. You probably won't either."

* * *

><p>Hermione's knees buckled beneath her when she landed in the alley behind the Hog's Head Tavern. She attempted to correct herself unsuccessfully before landing in a mud puddle.<p>

She quickly stood and put the letter in her robe, barely believing what she read but that was something she'd deal with later. She did not like September 19, 1976 so far. When she'd left 1996 it was bright, sunny, and warm. She had her tie loose and the top three buttons of her oxford unbuttoned under her robes. Here it was cold and raining and she was covered in mud staring up at a slightly younger Professor Dumbledore and less scarred Mad-Eye Moody with a patch where she was used to seeing his magical glass eye.

Each man extended a hand down to her and she was easily lifted to a standing position and promptly scourgified of all mud. Together the three made the trek up to the picturesque castle that she considered home. Unsure of what to say she played the good soldier asking, "What's my cover?" The summer earlier Hermione had gone on missions with the Order—usually accompanied by Mad-Eye and Remus—she was always given a cover story.

"Cover?" Moody asked. "Dear, this isn't a mission. You don't have a cover. This is your life."

"But I'm here for a reason," Hermione told them, "and I need to know what others know about me so that I know what to do."

Dumbledore chuckled, "Like father, like daughter."

Moody nodded and began speaking very quickly as they neared the school. "Anyone who really cares to know about you could easily find out. It is public record that Isabelle and I had a daughter. I've told anyone who asks that I've been teaching you at home. Since your mother's passing, everyone thinks I've just been overprotective. Your godparents, Harold and Elizabeth Potter, know where you've been. They have a son-"

"James," Hermione said.

"You've heard of the Potters then?"

Hermione nodded. "I went to school with James's son. He's…was…my best friend." Apparently, in the past, she hadn't told them everything. She'd have to do that once she figured it all out herself. "What's my name?"

"Hermione," Moody told her. "Hermione Allison Moody."

They had now reached the main entrance of Hogwarts which Dumbledore held open for Moody and Hermione to enter pulling her things behind them. "I believe," he told them as he followed them inside, "that the house elves have dinner prepared for us in the Great Hall." They followed him inside.

"Look, Pads, I haven't met Hermione. You won't meet her. I'm sorry I told you her mum was pretty. Now drop it," they heard a voice yelling from somewhere behind the head table.

"Beautiful, Prongs. You said 'beautiful' not pretty. You said you heard she took after her mum so that means she's-"

"I said drop it! She's my god-sister! Even if you do meet her, she's off limits. I swear you don't even have to meet a bird to want-"

"James Potter," Moody called into the near blackness of the Great Hall.

"Shite!" they all heard a mumble followed by muffled laughter.

"Sirius Black, I heard you too! Here! Now! Both of you!"

"Lumos," Dumbledore called and the room lit up revealing two dark haired teenagers stumbling toward them shielding their eyes.

"Good evening, sir," Sirius was the first to recover. "How are you this evening? We missed you at dinner." Hermione let out a small giggle drawing attention to herself from the two squinting boys. "And who is this lovely lady?" Sirius reached out and took her hand leaning forward to kiss it. He was stopped halfway though.

"Let's get one thing straight Black: You're lips are to come nowhere near my daughter! Understood?" Moody told him causing Sirius to shoot up straight.

"Y-your daughter?" James asked, staring beyond his headmaster and his parents' friend to the teenage girl behind them. "Hermione?"

"Actually, I prefer my middle name, Allison," she choked out extending her hand to shake the hand of the Harry-look-alike. She couldn't bear to hear her real name from this boy when Harry would never know her again. Suddenly, for the first time since this whole thing started, she felt like crying. "You're James?"

"Yeah, James Potter. It's nice to finally meet you, Allison," he answered. "You're in Gryffindor?"

Now all eyes were turned toward her. Apparently they'd forgotten to remove her house emblem from her robes before they'd entered the castle.

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore answered. "Miss Moody was sorted on her way into the castle. She preferred not to make a scene and since the term already started I didn't think it necessary to sort her in front of the whole school."

"Splendid!" James smiled. "Sir," he asked turning back toward Dumbledore, "I can show her around the castle and to her classes."

"Black," Moody barked, "I think it's time for you to go back to your common room."

Sirius looked to Dumbledore in a silent plea to be allowed to stay but he was only nodded off and sulked his way out of the room. When they were alone in the large dining room James, Hermione, Moody and Dumbledore sat down to dinner together.

"Mr. Moody?" James asked, "I thought you were training Hermi...I mean Allison...at home."

"That was the plan," Moody answered, "but I have to go on a mission for the Auror Department. Don't know how long it will last. It was a last minute trip which is why she's coming into the term late."

James just nodded, looking at Hermione who let out a loud yawn.

"Sorry," she blushed.

"Quite alright, dear," Dumbledore answered. "It is getting rather late. Mr. Potter can show you to your common room. There will already be a bed made up for you in the girls' dormitory and I think that you should take tomorrow off to sleep in and explore the campus. The trip you took today can be hard on one's body."

Hermione nodded and stood. She said goodnight to Moody who hugged her in return. Noticing the wince of pain when he touched her left should he asked, "Already?"

She nodded. "This morning."

James watched all of this wondering what they could possibly be talking about. He'd have to look into that.

a/n: Chapter 2 done! Bear with me.


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: STILL DON'T OWN IT

Every muscle in Hermione's body felt sore. It was the good kind of sore though, not the just got blasted by a curse kind of sore. When she rolled over and looked at her clock she knew why. It was noon. Dumbledore had been right. Her "trip" took a lot out of her. As she looked around her dormitory she saw only two other beds. One was labeled "Lily" the other "Alice." She wasn't able to meet them the night before. They were already in bed when she finally arrived in her dormitory.

She slowly stretched as she rose from the bed still wearing her oxford and pleated skirt from the day before. After stumbling to a shower, she emerged clean and fresh twenty minutes later wearing jeans and a red thermal. Slowly, because her muscle were still sore, she began making her bed and unpacking her things—moving them from her trunk into her wardrobe, desk, and shelves. Looking around she was satisfied with her work and decided it was time to make an appearance in the Great Hall. She was starting to get hungry.

"Well good morning, Sunshine!" Sirius Black called as she made it downstairs.

"I believe it's well past morning actually," Hermione answered, "but hello anyway."

Sirius nodded and stood from the couch where he'd been sitting. "We didn't get a proper introduction last night. I'm Sirius Black. Welcome to Gryffindor," he told her as he extended a hand. When she took it he gently pulled her toward a table piled with sandwiches, crisps, fruit, puddings, and pumpkin juice.

"I'm Allison Moody. And what's all this?" Hermione replied with a small laugh as Sirius made a show of pulling a chair out for her.

"James and I figured you'd be hungry, sleeping through breakfast and lunch and all, so I asked a house elf to bring some things up. Wasn't sure what you liked so I got a variety."

"Thank you," Hermione answered. "So where is James?"

"He had a test. I finished mine yesterday so Professor Slughorn—he teaches potions—said that I could take the rest of the day off and show you around in James's place, if that's alright with you of course," Sirius finished and joined her at the table, pulling three sandwiches toward himself as she made herself a plate with one sandwich, a handful of crisps, and a few strawberries.

"That sounds great to me," Hermione answered.

"So…" Sirius started through a mouthful of sandwich.

"So?" Hermione asked after swallowing her own food.

"So what's the story?" Sirius asked, rising slightly from his chair in his excitement. "James said he never met you till yesterday but his parents are your godparents? And I know that Moody goes there once a month for dinner? And his house is less than half a mile from the Potters? And no one has ever seen you or even seen pictures? And why did your dad change his mind about school? And where is he going on this mission? And what on earth happened to his eye? And why does he hate me?"

He was out of breath by the time he finished and Hermione was wide eyed and a little confused.

"One at a time please," was all she could manage as she finished her meal and stood. "We can do this while I get my tour right?" She added with a smile over her shoulder as she walked toward the portrait hole.

Sirius knocked over a chair and almost fell over himself in his hurry to catch up to Hermione. "Yes we can," he answered offering her his arm. "First question: How have you and James never met even though his parents are your godparents?"

"My father's a little over-protective," Hermione answered easily. "After my mother was murdered by death eaters he wanted to keep me close so I was in hiding till it was time for me to start school then he kept me home with him." Hermione remembered Mrs. Weasley talking about Moody's muggle wife's murder in 1960 and how he was never the same after. She was only a child when it happened of course but he'd been friends with her parents.

"But you live so close and he has a regular dinner with them and where are pictures? That's Charms with Professor Flitwick, short man, squeaky voice, nice enough bloke." Sirius was pointing out different classes as they passed them.

"Sirius, my mum was a muggle," Hermione whispered with true emotion in her voice. She often feared for her adoptive parents' safety because of their blood status and her own. "She was killed by Death Eaters. He was scared."

Realizing that he may have struck a nerve Sirius decided to leave the subject of her parents alone. "School then? And his mission? Transfiguaration is in there with Professor McGonagall, our head of house."

"School because of the mission and I don't know where the mission is sending him."

"The eye? History of magic with Professor Binns."

"A battle with a Death Eater in August and no he's obviously not being let go by the Ministry."

They had made their way to the grounds now and unlike the day before it was a sunny, slightly warm day so they were taking the scenic route by the lake toward Hagrid's hut. "Now the most important. Why does he hate me?"

Hermione laughed at this. She remembered the summer before her fifth year when she was living at Grimauld Place. Sirius had stumbled in drunk and reeking of cheap perfume many nights. One in particular Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George were awake in the parlor talking with Moody and Remus when Sirius burst through the door and crashed through the room toward the bar. After five minutes of his drunken rambling about some bird at the bar, he stumbled out of the room and disappeared. Moody looked the girls straight in their eyes and said, "Stay away from men like him. They only hurt you and cause trouble. He's been that was since he was fifteen. Every girl is just another notch in his bedpost." The rest of the men in the room nodded their agreement. It seemed strange to her at the time that he would bring it up but now she understood.

"What's so funny?" Sirius pleaded when she continued to laugh instead of answer his question.

"He thinks you hurt girls and cause trouble. We're all just notches in your bedpost," she finally answered unable to look at him.

"What? That's blasphemy," Sirius protested as they neared Hagrid's hut.

"I've heard stories about you, Sirius Black." Hell, I've heard stories from you, she thought. "Don't try to hide it from me."

He looked like he wanted to protest but instead turned away from her and continued toward Hagrid's hut a little faster. After knocking a few times he turned around before Hermione could reach the door and told her that no one was home.

"Sirius," she called as he passed her again. "Sirius! I didn't mean to offend you."

He wheel around and looked her in the eyes as he said, "You don't know me. Don't act like you do." Hermione stood for a moment not knowing how to react then suddenly Sirius walked back to where she stood and took her by the arm. "It's almost dinner time. We should go in."

She didn't know what to think until she heard someone calling from behind them.

"Cousin dear," she heard a sing-song voice that she knew too well. It was younger than she was used to but that voice had haunted her dreams for three months now. She might as well be chanting "I killed Sirius Black."

Sirius tried to direct Hermione back toward the castle but she turned out of his grasp and wheeled around to face Bellatrix Black. She stopped dead in her tracks, hand on the wand she kept hidden in her jeans. It wasn't just Bellatrix. Narcissa, Lucius, Snape, and a boy Hermione recognized as Sirius's younger brother Regulus were all by her side.

Sirius saw what Hermione was doing and instantly came to her side, drawing his wand before they had the opportunity to see hers.

"Oh, cousin, I was only interested in a little friendly conversation. No need to be so defensive. I was just wondering who your new friend is. Smells muggle to me," she finished with a sneer while everyone else drew their wands.


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING & I STILL LOVE REVIEWS SO DO THAT FOR CHAPTER 3, THEN READ 4, THEN DO IT AGAIN!

"We don't want any trouble, Bella," Sirius called to his cousin as he stepped in front of Hermione. "I was just showing a new student around campus and now we're going in to dinner. "

"Well don't you want to introduce us to your new slut, I mean, friend?" Narcissa asked with a sneer. Everyone else laughed though Snape and Regulus looked uncomfortable.

Hermione had drawn her own wand by now but every time she tried to side step Sirius he only blocked her again. She knew the people in front of her. She knew that it was going to come to a fight quickly because three of them really wanted it, one would follow simply on principle, and the final would want to save face in front of his cousins and friends. Sirius was outnumbered and they fought dirty.

Suddenly, she had an idea. She reached into Sirius's back pocket. In the future she knew him to keep his magical two way mirror in his back pocket so he was in constant contact with Harry. "Not really the time, love," Sirius told her with a smile in his voice.

"Oh, shut up Sirius," Hermione barked back but couldn't find the mirror so instead took advantage of Sirius's surprise to side-step him. Wand hidden in the left sleeve of her shirt she walked in front of Sirius and right up to Snape. "Hello," she said extending her hand, "I'm Allison Moody. I'll be starting school here this term."

It was a strategic move, Sirius would admit if he wasn't so stunned. Snape held his wand with his right hand so in order to shake her hand he had to put it away, which he did. "Severus Snape," he replied, a little unsure. "It's, um, nice to meet you."

She smiled before moving down the line to Regulus, who'd already put his wand away in anticipation. "Regulus Black," he told her taking her hand. "You're Alastor Moody's daughter?"

"I am," she answered easily and with a friendly smile. "You're Sirius's brother?" He nodded. "Then, it's very nice to meet you. He's been very helpful to me today showing me around and all. Are you younger? What year are you in?"

Sirius stared on not knowing whether to be confused or angry.

"I'm a fourth year, two years younger," Regulus replied.

At that exact moment Hermione's stomach growled and though she was trying, she couldn't suppress a yawn. "I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I had a very, um, interesting trip yesterday. I really should get to dinner then straight to bed."

"Well you shouldn't allow us to keep you any longer," Regulus answered taking a step away from the group and toward Hermione. "I'll walk with you if that's alright."

"Of course," she answered with a smile before turning to Snape, "and Severus, would you terribly mind coming as well? I was hoping I could speak with you about Potions. It's my worst subject."

Snape quickly fell in step with Regulus and together they began walking toward the entrance to the school. As they came closer to Sirius he stood stock still, whether in anger or surprise she wasn't sure but she also wasn't about to leave him here alone with his two cousins and Lucius Malfoy. Hermione looped her arm through his as she passed and he followed along, still slightly dazed.

"This way is much easier than starting a duel where you're outnumbered two to one isn't it?" she leaned in closely to whisper in his ear. "Severus," she added a little more loudly, "could you possibly tutor me in Potions? Professor Dumbledore told me that you were the best in the school. Father didn't really have the patience for it so I'm dreadful."

"I would be happy to help," Snape replied sincerely. "What does your schedule look like? I have a free period on Friday mornings."

"I actually don't know yet. I should be getting my timetable tonight though," Hermione told him, leaning in closer to Sirius each time she heard him grumble and try to pull away. "Can I owl you this weekend to set up a time?"

"Sure, that would work." By now they were approaching the Great Hall and Hermione could smell dinner already on the tables. "Reg and I should leave you now though. It won't do for us to walk in together."

Hermione nodded and said her goodbyes adding, "Regulus, I hope to see you again soon as well." He nodded and gave a half-smile in her direction before entering the hall and leaving Hermione and Sirius standing alone in the entrance hall.

"What was all that?" he barked at her pulling away slightly to face her but still holding her hand—something that went unnoticed by both of them.

"I need help with Potions," she replied, pretending she didn't understand his real point.

"They're Slytherins!" he told her. "And I don't like that snotty git little brother of mine. Didn't you see that both of them had their wands drawn Allison?"

Hermione sighed and stepped closer to reduce their volume and avoid onlookers. "Of course I saw their wands drawn," she whispered. "And I managed to diffuse the situation before there was a fight and we were outnumbered by three. Your cousin looks the type to fight dirty! And neither of them looked like they wanted to fight, Sirius."

"They all hate me," he told her. "Especially Reg! We were best friends as children and now he can't stand me. He got all caught up in our parents' pure-blood nonsense. He's dangerous." Sirius looked hurt as he said all this.

"I don't think he is," she told him, stepping closer and moving her hand away from his and around his back. "And I don't think he hates you. He just needs to be shown the way. And he needs his brother for that."

Sirius moved his hand around her shoulder but pulled away when she winced in pain. "You think so?"

"I do and I'll help if you like."

"What the hell is going on here?" they heard James call from somewhere behind them. They both looked up to see him running down the stairs. "I told you last night Padfoot: my god sister is off limits! And where have you two been anyway?"

Sirius, thinking it best to leave out the little confrontation from a moment ago, replied, "I was showing her around the castle as per your request. We were just coming in from the grounds. I took her to meet Hagrid but he wasn't home."

James nodded, seeming satisfied with this answer. "Allison, these are our other good friends, Remus and Peter." She smiled politely and shook each of their hands, barely even hesitating to touch Peter. "And I have more news," James smiled proudly, "I just got an owl from mum. She and dad are meeting us in Hogsmeade tomorrow. They're taking all five of us to lunch."


	5. Chapter 5

I STILL OWN NOTHING…Now on with the story. PS I'm referring Hermione as Allison for the most part from here on out since that's what people will be calling her & to be honest, I'm starting to confuse myself.

"Up! Up! Up!" James yelled as he bounced onto Allison's bed. "Hogsmeade awaits us!"

Allison groaned and rolled over to look at the clock. "Half-seven? Really?"

"Potter, SHUT UP!" they heard from one of the other beds.

"How did you even get up here?" The final occupant asked. She must have seen his means of transportation hovering close to Allison's bed because she groaned, "Ugh! Of course, broomstick!"

"Dear Alice and Lovely Lily-flower," he soothed, "You should count yourselves fortunate that I didn't come in here at five when Sirius woke me in a much more rude fashion. In fact you should be thanking me that I froze him to keep him from doing the same to the three of you."

"I'd murder him," Allison grumbled. "In fact, I'm coming very close to murdering you! GET. OFF. OF. ME. NOW!"

"Not until you promise to get up," James conditioned. "You're burning daylight!"

Allison looked out the window to see a barely rising sun. "Fine, I'll get up. I'll be down in half an hour. Now get off of me!"

Finally James relented, mounted his broom and disappeared through the dormitory's front door. Allison let out one final groan and exited the room through a side door that led to the showers. Twenty minutes later she emerged dressed with her chestnut curls hanging halfway down her back. She was grabbing her cloak when Lily Evans asked, "So what's going on with you and Potter?"

Surprised, Allison froze. She'd thought that her dorm-mates had both gone back to sleep but now the pretty red-head was sitting up staring at her, waiting for an answer. "Nothing," she finally told her. "He's my god-brother but we only just met two nights ago. He's been very kind to show me around."

"Well," Lily told her looking relieved. "Be careful with that one. He'll get you into trouble."

With that Allison left the room to meet her new friends downstairs. Sirius jumped away from the table they were all sitting at when he saw her enter the room. The rest of them scrambled to put things away.

"What's going on down here?" she asked, smiling.

"Oh, nothing," Sirius answered. "Ready for breakfast?" He didn't wait for her to respond before linking arms with her and pulling her out of the portrait hole and away from the others.

Allison, having some idea of what they were doing, simply followed along-after all that map had been very helpful to her over the years-allowing Sirius to pull her down the stairs and out the front door of the castle. "But breakfast?" she protested and attempted to pull away.

"We're eating in Hogsmeade today," he answered as he continued down the path toward the main gate. "That's why we wanted you to hurry so badly. Mum is coming for the full day. Dad could only get away for lunch. She's waiting for us at the Three Broomsticks now."

"Your mum and dad?" she feigned ignorance.

"James's mum and dad are my mum and dad," he told her matter-of-factly. Now that they were out of the main gates he slowed the pace and loosened his grip on her arm so it now lay gently in the crook of his elbow. "I moved in with them last summer."

Allison nodded her understanding. "Why couldn't we wait for the others?"

"I wanted to talk to you," he told her, sounding unsure of himself, "about what happened yesterday. Will you really help me with Reg?"

"Of course I will if that's what you want."

"It is."

"You'll have to make an effort with Severus as well then."

"Wait! I don't give a damn about that grease ball!" Sirius protested. "It's my brother that I'm worried about!"

"Your brother admires him-"

"You weren't here last year! Do you know what he called Evans? He called her the M-word!"

Allison stopped in her tracks and turned to face Sirius. "Everybody makes mistakes," she told him looking him directly in the eye. "The important thing is not to let those mistakes define us. If you don't give him a chance to make it up you're forcing that mistake to define him. Would you want someone doing that to you?"

"I suppose not," he relented. "I'll give Sniv-I mean Snape a chance."

"Thank you," she told him before continuing down the path toward Hogsmeade.

Sirius started to jog as they reached the city limits, pulling Allison behind him by the hand, until they reached the Three Broomsticks. He reached for the door handle but before he could touch it the door flew open and an older woman walked out. She was tall and thin and still very strong looking but with soft features and a pretty face. Her hair was red with streaks of grey. The woman threw her arms around Allison's shoulders loosening her grip at the wince she elicited in the younger girl. "Already, dear?" she whispered into her ear but it didn't go unnoticed by Sirius. Allison simply nodded. "Things must be even worse there."

"You have no idea," Hermione answered as the older woman pulled away in order to embrace Sirius. Only moments later they were bustled inside to a table to await the arrival of James and the remaining Marauders.

* * *

><p>After breakfast James and the boys left Allison and Mrs. Potter to do some shopping in Hogsmeade. Allison needed to replace some of her school materials for the more current editions before she began classes on Monday.<p>

"So how are you and James getting on then?" Mrs. Potter asked.

"Very good, Mrs. Potter. He and Sirius have both been very kind and helpful," Allison answered sincerely, smiling at the older woman.

"Please, call me Elizabeth, dear. Do you know them in the future? Alastor said you mentioned I have a grandson." She whispered this part. Allison's body stiffened at the mention of the future which didn't go unnoticed by Elizabeth. "What is it dear?"

"Um, well, I do know Sirius and Remus in the future. I've met Peter once. James, though…" she trailed off but Elizabeth realized the implication without her finishing.

"Oh, dear." They stopped walking to sit on a bench on the outskirts of town.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I really shouldn't be telling you any of this," Allison soothed.

But Elizabeth protested, "No, dear, you should. If we know we can change it. That's why you went to begin with and it's why you came back. Now you run along and find the boys. I'll owl Harold and tell him that he needs to free up his schedule this evening. When you go back to the castle we'll meet in the headmaster's office and discuss everything."

Allison did as she was told and found the boys at Honeydukes where she promptly filled a bag to the brim with sugar quills, Bertie Botts, and (after looking at the calendar on the wall and noticing that the full moon was in just four days) as much chocolate as she could fit.


	6. Chapter 6

ALAS, I STILL OWN NOTHING.

"I wish dad could've made it," James complained on the way back up the hill to Hogwarts.

"Yeah that sucks," Sirius agreed, "but he said he'd try to make it next weekend."

Allison remained quiet through the entire trek. Peter had abandoned them hours earlier saying he forgot something back at the castle and Remus was looking rather sick. She wasn't feeling all too wonderful considering what she had to do in just over an hour.

Soon enough they were back at the castle. No one felt like sitting in the Great Hall so Sirius went to the kitchens to sweet talk an elf into bringing something up to the common room where everyone else waited. Ten minutes into the meal the portrait hole swung open and Professor McGonagall walked in. "Allison?" she called and all four heads shot up. "May I please speak with you?"

Allison nodded and stood leaving her new friends behind.

The walk to the headmaster's office felt much shorter than usual and she imagined this is how prisoners used to feel on their way to the gallows. She did not want to look Mr. and Mrs. Potter in the eye and tell them the sad future that lay in store for their son and his friends. For them and their grandson. But she knew that she had to do it. She'd set herself up for this whole twisted, confusing, sad scenario with one purpose: To save them. All of them.

Elizabeth Potter stood just inside the door to Dumbledore's office when Allison entered. She promptly escorted the girl to a comfy arm chair in front of the fire. "This is my husband, Harold," she told her before they all sat again.

"We were hoping to give you some time to become accustomed," Harold told her, "but it seems the situation is a little more urgent than we'd all thought."

Allison nodded.

"Let's start like this, child," Moody, whom Allison didn't notice until now, told her as he sat in the chair next to her, "who in this room is still alive in 1996?"

Looking around, Allison saw only her father, the Potters, and Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore. That made things slightly easier. "Everyone except Mr. and Mrs. Potter," she answered.

"And of the students that you've met so far, how many have we lost?" Professor McGonagall asked when the others were silent.

"James, Lily Evans, Alice Prewett, Frank Longbottom, Sirius, and his younger brother Regulus," Allison answered feeling as though she could cry. Over half of the friends she'd made since her arrival would die.

"Do you know when?" Harold asked.

"Regulus dies first, in just three years. Sirius told me once that he became a Death Eater but started to doubt their ways and was killed for it. Alice and Frank don't exactly die. They'll be tortured, between four and five years from now, with the Cruciatus Curse until they are in a permanent vegetative state and don't recognize anything or anyone around them. James and Lily will die on Halloween 1981. Lily is Harry's mum. Sirius doesn't die until June 1996 but he faces a far worse fate before his death."

Five wide-eyed adults stared back at Allison when she was done talking. She was sure each of them was thinking something different than the next so she waited for them to collect themselves.

Elizabeth was the first to compose herself enough to ask a question. "What do you mean 'worse than death'? What happens to Sirius?"

Allison took a deep breath to steady herself. This was going to be the hard part. "Sirius is wrongfully accused of betraying James and Lily and murdering Peter. He gets sent to Azkaban Prison for twelve years but escapes when he finds out that Harry's in danger. He spent three years on the run and only had his name cleared after his death three months ago…well three months for me."

"Murdering…but why would they think he'd do such a thing?" McGonagall gasped.

"Because he was supposed to be the Potter's secret keeper," her voice dripped venom as she spoke, "but convinced James to change it to Peter at the last minute. He figured everyone would think James would pick Sirius so Peter was a perfect distraction. That way the Death Eaters would go after Sirius and he could keep them all safe. But Peter was a double agent the whole time. He was a Death Eater and he sold James, Lily, and Harry out the first chance he got. When Sirius caught up to him he faked his own death, killed a bunch of muggles in the process, then went into hiding as a rat and Sirius took the blame." Everyone in the room was crying now. No one expected such a thing. They weren't prepared for it. "We almost caught him once. He admitted to everything. He said that he joined during his fifth year at Hogwarts."

"Oh, dear," Elizabeth cried and excused herself.

"Who's this 'Harry' that you keep referring to?" Harold asked after a few minutes.

"He's your grandson, my best mate. There's going to be a prophecy in about four years saying that a boy born in July 1980 will have the power to defeat Voldemort. It could have been Harry or Alice and Frank's son, Neville, but Voldemort chose Harry. That's why he went after them. If we're going to avoid all of this I think we have to defeat him before that prophecy is made."

Dumbledore and Moody nodded their agreement.

"First things first, though," Harold told them, "we have to make sure Regulus doesn't die."

"I've started on that already actually," Allison told them. "If he never becomes a Death Eater he might be safe. Sirius is worried about him and willing to make an effort to keep him safe. I'll keep working on that."

"Is there anything else you think is pertinent?" Professor McGonagall asked through her tears.

"Yes, a few things: Voldemort couldn't kill Harry because both of his parents died to protect him but when he tried he left a scar on his forehead that Professor Dumbledore says transferred some of his powers to Harry. Also, during second year the Chamber of Secrets was opened using Voldemort's old diary. Harry stabbed it with a basilisk fang and said that it sort of died. I'm not sure what that means but it seemed curious. Lucius Malfoy owned the diary."

"What about Remus, dear?" Elizabeth had made her way back into the room and sat in the chair nearest Allison.

"He's alive. He's in the Order and engaged to Nymphadora Tonks."

"Thank you Miss Moody," Dumbledore told her. "I will work on that other information and we will meet again soon."

"Yes sir."

"Is there anyone else you would like to know these things? Someone who means a lot to you in the future perhaps."

"Actually, sir, there is. Arthur and Molly Weasley were like parents to both Harry and I. I think that they would do whatever they could to help if they knew." With that, Hermione left the room to return to an empty common room.


	7. Chapter 7

"Good morning, Remus," Allison called as she walked down the stairs early Wednesday morning carrying her school bag in one hand and a Honeydukes bag in the other. "How are you?"

He barely lifted his head from the table to answer, "Not well. I think I'm getting sick and I still have a pile of homework to finish. How are you?"

"I'm afraid I'm not feeling too well either," she lied as she took a seat next to him. "I overloading on Honeydukes last night and now need to get rid of all this!" She dropped the Honeydukes bag on the table. "I don't want to see it! I don't want to smell it! I don't want it!"

"I'd be happy to take it off your hands," Remus offered, much to her relief. She knew he'd need it in the morning. "Would you mind putting it up in my dormitory for me?"

"Sure," she smiled, standing. "Am I going to wake anyone?"

"You mean are you going to be able to get James back for Saturday? Probably not. He and Sirius are planning a…well they're up."

"Darn," Allison laughed as she headed up the stairs, chocolate in hand. She found the sixth year boys' dormitory on the sixth landing and opened the door without bothering to knock. She could see a light shining under the door so she figured they were already awake.

Her jaw dropped when she walked in. Standing in the middle of the room was Sirius Black in his uniform slacks pulling a white undershirt over his head with his amazing six-pack abs and built pecs on display for Allison's pleasure. "Like what you see, Love?" Sirius laughed when he noticed her staring.

"Shut it, Black," she countered as she made her way to the cleanest corner of the room and deposited the Honeyduke's bag in Remus's top drawer and turned to leave.

"Going so soon?" Sirius asked as he buttoned his oxford. "Have a seat. I've hardly gotten to talk to you all week." He patted the second cleanest bed in the room.

It was true. Allison had hardly talked to any of the Marauders all week. She'd been shaken by her conversation with the Order members on Saturday evening and preferred to keep her distance. That had been the real reason she was hoping they'd all still be asleep. She could get in and get out clean but no such luck today. "So what's up?" she asked as she plopped down onto the bed.

"Well," Sirius started, now fumbling with his tie, "I've been thinking a lot about Reg lately. I haven't been able to talk to him since last week and I was wondering if you had any ideas." His heart beat faster as she took pity on him and stood to help him with his tie. "Thanks. James usually leaves one already tied hanging on my bedpost but I guess he forgot last night." She laughed, drawing his attention down to her smiling face.

He wanted desperately to kiss her but there were a few road blocks in his way. First, James told him to stay away and he couldn't betray his best mate. Second, and with good reason, she thought he was a player who would only hurt her. And most importantly, Moody said to keep his lips off of her and Moody scared him.

All too soon, she'd finished with the tie and returned to her seated position on his bed. He blocked that thought out of his mind altogether. "Well," she started, "have you owled him?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Feels too forced and formal."

"You're going to have to make an effort if you want to build a relationship with him again," she told him as he threw himself into a laying position next to her. She rolled onto her stomach to look him in the eye as they spoke.

"I know that but I don't want him to think that it's insincere."

"Off! Both of you," they heard James call from the other side of the room. He'd just come in from the showers. "Off the bed now!"

Allison rolled her eyes at his antics but stood anyway. Suddenly she remembered a similar incident with Seamus Finnigan and Harry during her fifth year. It had been just as innocent then.

"What are you doing up here anyway?" James barked at her as he started throwing his uniform on.

"I was bringing a bag of Honeyduke's chocolate up for Remus. He's not feeling well," Allison answered calmly. Overprotectiveness must be a trait of the Potter men. She was used to it by now.

"And it's a good thing she was here too. Someone forgot to prepare my tie last night," Sirius added earning a laugh from Allison and an eye roll from James.

"One day, mate, you're going to have to tie your own tie. I'm not going to be around forever," James argued.

Suddenly, Allison couldn't stand to be in the room any longer. He didn't know how right he was. She touched the bracelet on her left wrist as she exited the room.

"She does that a lot. Have you noticed?" Sirius commented. "Wonder who it's from."

James only glared at his friend. "I told you: hands off!"

"I know!" Sirius barked, getting frustrated. "You say hands off! Moody says lips off! Did you ever think that maybe she's alright with the hands on approach?"

"She's not just another girl Padfoot! She's different!"

"She's special," Sirius finished, catching his friend off guard.

* * *

><p>"Allie, it's your turn," James told her. They were lined up in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. They were studying boggarts, something she didn't quite understand since they were three years older than she was the first time boggarts were introduced to her. The DADA professor, Smith, had managed to box one in a trunk and bring it to class for the students to practice on. She understood why Remus was last in there group but she didn't understand why she had to be first. What if it showed the future, her failure, everyone dead? What if it showed that hideous basilisk again? She'd had an irrational fear of snakes since second year.<p>

"Miss Moody," Professor Smith called, "we're waiting."

Allison nodded, wand at the ready, memories of third year floating through her head. When she stepped in front of the group and the boggart began to morph, however, she didn't see a snake forming or any dead bodies piling up. What she saw was much more terrifying. The air in the room turned cold as a hooded figure with rotting flesh for hands emerged and floated around her, toward Sirius and back again. She could hear it echoing in her brain again. "I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!" It was the most horrific thing she'd ever seen. She'd watched a friend and brother in arms die and she saw it again and again every night in her sleep and now she heard it in her head over and over again. "I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!"

Suddenly she couldn't remember the defense spell against a boggart. All she could think was…"Expecto Patronum!" She yelled with all of her might, flicking her wrist and praying it ended. A silvery white otter suddenly sprouted from the tip of her wand and seemed to dance around the dementor/boggart pushing it back, away, until it fell back into its trunk and the lid closed on top of it. "I killed Sir-" the chanted in her head stopped. She opened her eyes to see her patronus circling her nudging at her hands to be pet just once before she had to go. Allison obliged, patting the otter on her nose before it faded away.

The rest of the class stood silent, staring as she made her way back to her seat and began packing her things. A quick look at her watch told her class was about to end. She'd spent three minutes with her biggest fear. Only moments later the bell chimed, ending classes for the day. She was the first to exit the room breaking Sirius from his daze.

He quickly threw his things back into his bag and raced out of the door. He looked through every door, corridor and window in the endlessly long hall before spotting her walking on the grounds toward the lake. He chased after her but didn't get to her until she was already removing her knee-highs and sticking her feet deep into the sand next to the lake.

"That was brilliant," he complimented as he took has place on her right. "Are you alright?" he added after looking at the tears in her eyes. Allison only nodded and continued staring out at the lake playing with her bracelet.

So he sat and waited.

It was an hour before their silence was broken and apparently by then it had made it all over the castle. Sixth year Gryffindors had Defense with Hufflepuff but it was Sirius's fourth year Slytherin brother that was racing toward them now. "Is it true, Allie?" he asked as soon as they were within hearing range. "Is it true what they're saying? A fully formed patronus?" She only nodded. "Where'd you learn that?"

"A friend taught me," she answered, breaking the staring contest she was having with the calm water to look at the younger boy.

"A friend?" Sirius asked "Don't you mean your dad?"

"Yes, of course, my dad," Allison corrected.

"Well I guess I'll leave you two," Regulus told them as he saw James Potter and Peter Pettigrew approaching with food.

Sirius didn't say anything at first but soon noticed the look Allison was giving him. "Stay, Reg," he told his brother. "James always gets enough food to feed all of us and the giant squid."

Regulus smiled so large it almost seemed it would crack his face as he sat back down on the sand next to Sirius.

As they neared James and Peter both wore looks of surprise. "You guys know my brother, Reg, right?" Sirius asked.

That was all it took. James shook the younger boys hand before laying a blanket to sit on. Peter spread the food but still stared at Regulus in shock. Regulus, in turn, glared back but it all went unnoticed to Sirius and James who were already discussing Defense class.

"Brilliant, Allie!" James barked. "Just brilliant!"

"Why is that so impressive?" Peter asked.

"A fully formed patronus?" Regulus spoke up. "Why is it impressive? You've got to be kidding me."

"Not the patronus," Sirius added. "Well yes the patronus but also the boggart itself!"

"What's so important about that?" Pettigrew asked again.

"When a person's boggart is a dementor," James answered, "it means their only fear is fear."

Peter stared at Allison with a mixture of admiration and fear.

_That's right, _she thought to herself,_ and all thanks to you, bastard!_


	8. Chapter 8

Allison tossed and turned all night! The nightmare was worse than ever that night. They were on their way to the Department of Mysteries on the back of threstals when suddenly everyone started to fade away until it was just her alone on an invisible creature. Bodies were floating around her: James, Lily, Regulus, Alice, Frank. Suddenly she was at the Ministry, deep in the Department of Mysteries and she was being restrained by strong arms. A man has laughing a sadistic laugh in her ear. Sirius was trying to protect Harry but with a sudden flash of green light they were both falling through the veil. Just then a large snake came out of nowhere mouth open wide, headed straight for her. Remus saw everything and lunged at Bellatrix who had started chanting "I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!" Halfway through his lunge Remus changed into his werewolf form and let out a deafening howl.

Allison shot out of bed in a cold sweat. It was four and still dark but she knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep so she lit the tip of her wand and tiptoed to the showers. Half an hour later she emerged a little more awake but suddenly wishing Dobby were there with a pot of strong coffee. She stumbled out of the room as quietly as possible and made her way to her favorite window seat. She needed to talk to Dumbledore. She needed to know about the progress. That had to wait however. For now she had to wait. All students are contained to their common rooms or dormitories until daybreak. She hated that rule. It had gotten her into trouble a lot!

Looking out the window she saw four figures stumbling across the grounds. Two were supporting a third and the fourth ran ahead to open the door. Then they disappeared inside. It was another half hour before James and Sirius stumbled through the portrait hole. The sun was starting to peak out from over the horizon.

"What are you doing up?" Sirius asked her when he saw her seated in the window.

"Nightmare," she answered simply. "Couldn't sleep. What are you two doing out?" She hadn't bothered to look at either of them when they came in, knowing who it would be already but now as she looked up she noticed their mangled state. "What happened to you?" she gasped. They were both covered in blood.

"It's nothing," James told her as he made his way to the stairs.

Unlike his son, though, James didn't know that she wouldn't let things drop that easily. Allison jumped up from the window and followed the boys up to their dormitory. "Sit," she ordered. James and Sirius jumped when they realized they weren't alone in the room. "Now!"

Both boys obeyed sitting on their trunks.

"Really, we're fine," Sirius tried to protest but was silenced by Allison when she asked where they kept their first aid supplies. "Top drawer of my dresser," he sighed and resigned himself to being poke and prodded to her satisfaction. Well at least she wasn't Pomfrey.

"Shirts off," Allison ordered earning a raised eyebrow from both boys even as they followed her directions. Seeing that James had no open wounds she turned to Sirius.

"Can I shower then?" James asked and was promptly waved off as she focused on Sirius and his deeply cut chest.

"What happened?" she asked once they were alone.

"Would you believe I fell?" he asked feeling uncomfortable about the prospect of lying to her. He took a sharp breath as she cleaned his wound.

"No." she told him simply, applying antiseptic to the cuts.

"Then will you accept it's a secret and I can't tell you?" he asked hopefully as she began to apply a bandage. He'd learned at a young age not to upset a woman while she was nursing his wounds. His mother taught him that when she dug a long fingernail through a scabbed over cut he had on his bicep.

Finishing with his chest, Allison found a clean cloth and started cleaning a gash on his forehead. "I can," she answered finally. She finished in another minute and put an impervious spell on the bandages to keep them dry. "You should be able to shower without getting them wet now."

"Thanks," Sirius told her as she stood to go. "Um, Allie?" She turned around with her hand on the door. "I was wondering. Would you maybe want to go to lunch with me in Hogsmeade this weekend?"

She didn't know what to say. In all the years that she'd known Sirius she'd never seen him act nervous before. "Um…sure," she finally answered.

"Great. I'll see you at breakfast then," he told her jumping up and running to the shower.

* * *

><p>"You have a date with Black?" Lily asked Friday night as Allison came into their dormitory.<p>

"How'd you hear about that?"

"Everyone's heard about that. The whole school's talking about why James isn't talking to Sirius," Alice told her as she joined them for the loo.

"Oh," Allison said looking down at the floor.

"Don't worry about that. James and Sirius fight. They fight worse than an old married couple," Lily laughed. "They'll make up. The important thing, though, is: Why Sirius?"

"He's nice."

"When he wants something," Alice told her. "He's a player. Once he has you, he'll get bored and bail. I've seen it."

"I don't think so," Allison defended.

"Well, suit yourself, then," Lily told her. "All I know is Potter doesn't fight Black when it comes to a girl. He's mad at Sirius because he wants to protect you."

"And if James is doubting Sirius, how can you be so sure about him?" Alice added for her friend.

Allison sighed and stood from her bed. "I can't really explain it. I just am," she finally said as she left the room. Running down the stairs, Allison took a sharp turn and ran up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.

"I told you she was off-limits! Moody told you she was off-limits! 'Hands off!' 'Lips off!' Ring any bells?" Allison could hear James yelling through the door.

"Did it ever cross your mind that she doesn't want to be off limits? Prongs, if she didn't like me why would she say yes to a date with me?"

"If you hurt her, Black, I swear-"

"Black? I'm 'Black' now? Prongs we've been friends for five years! You've only just met her and all of a sudden I'm a bad guy she needs to be kept away from? What the hell, mate?"

"I can't…feel…protective." She could tell that James had stopped yelling because she could only make out every few words.

"Me too," Sirius's voice was slightly more clear.

Allison intended to speak to James about how he was treating Sirius but after hearing this she turned and went back to her own dorm. They were getting it sorted just fine on their own.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Allison went to Hogsmeade with Lily and Alice before the boys even came down to breakfast. She'd never been so nervous before and couldn't quite figure out why. It was just Sirius. They were friends. She'd known him for years…though he was twenty years older than her then and he only remembered meeting her a week earlier…okay so maybe she did know why she was so nervous. She really liked Sirius. He was incredibly attractive, funny, treated her good, smart, and she knew from their future arguments that he could challenge her mentally. Besides that, this was a totally new experience for her. She'd been on dates before but she'd never really cared about someone before.<p>

"Calm down, will you?" Lily laughed. "It's just Black! Haven't you ever been on a date before?"

"Yes but it feels different this time."

"You really like him don't you?"

"Why would I agree to a date with him if I didn't like her?"

"Well," Alice chimed in, "a lot of girls do it for the popularity. Some do it just because he's hot. I don't know of many that seemed to hurt when he ditched them a week later for their friend."

"Very reassuring. Thank you Alice."

"Hey! It may not be reassuring but it's true. It's the same reason I won't go out with Potter," Lily told her.

"Not that Potter's asked her out lately," Alice added.

"But still," Lily finished with a glare at her friend.

Allison seeing her window of opportunity asked, "do you like him though?"

Lily only blushed and remained silent.

A moment later, Sirius arrived at Allison's side as they girls exited the stationary store. "Hello, beautiful," Sirius greeted her, handing her a single white rose. "Ladies," he greeted the other two with a nod. "Are you ready?" he asked turning back to Allison.

"I am," she told him taking his offered arm and waving goodbye to her friends.

"The rose is new," Alice whispered to Lily.

"I don't think he's ever worn anything nicer than ripped jeans and an old band tee-shirt either," Lily whispered back.


	9. Chapter 9

"Madam Pudifoot's?" Allison read the sign to the small tea shop Sirius had chosen for lunch. She'd been here once before with Viktor Krum. It was a frilly, perfumed place where sappy young couples came to prove how romantic they could be. She couldn't picture Sirius in a place like this but she wasn't supposed to know anything about it so she just walked through the door that he was now holding open.

"I heard it's the best date place in town," Sirius replied as they were escorted to their table.

As they sat down Sirius looked increasingly uncomfortable. He was squirming in his chair with a look on his face that meant he was either about to vomit or…no all she could think of was vomit.

"You don't look so good," she laughed. "Are you sure you want to eat here?"

"No, I'm fine," he lied. "I hear it's nice."

"Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't want to eat here."

"Oh thank Merlin!" Sirius jumped up from his chair and went around the table to pull hers out for her. "I know it seems a little shady but the Hog's Head has really good food and hardly any students go there. Do you want to try it?"

"I'd love to. Just get me out of here." They practically ran from the little tea shop.

They crossed the main road of the small town and turned down a dark alley hand in hand. It only took minutes to get to the run down pub but just as Sirius was about to open the door they saw something that killed the mood of the date. Regulus came stumbling around the corner of the bar, his left leg dragging, his left arm cradling the right and his face covered in blood.

"Reg! What the hell happened?" Sirius managed to yell before his brother collapsed in front of them. Sirius dove and managed to catch his brother before he hit the ground. He looked up at Allison with tears in his eyes. "What do I do?"

"We need to get him back to the castle," she told him before turning around and casting her patronus. "Go to Dumbledore and tell him to meet us in the hospital wing. It's an emergency."

When she turned back around Sirius was cradling Regulus in his arms. Allison grabbed his hand and apparated to the gates of Hogwarts. Together they ran up the path, through the doors and up the stairs. They were out of breath by the time they arrived but Dumbledore was there to meet them with a bed ready.

"What happened to Mr. Black?" Dumbledore asked as Sirius lay his brother down on the bed.

"We don't know sir," Allison answered. "We were going for lunch at the Hog's Head and Regulus came around the side of the building like that."

"Out," Madam Pomfrey ordered. "All of you."

"Can't I stay with him, Madam Pomfrey?" Sirius pleaded.

"Mr. Black-"

"He's my brother. Please," Sirius cut her off. She only nodded her consent before beginning her diagnostic and healing spells.

Allison and Dumbledore went into Madam Pomfrey's office to talk. "Should we tell the Order sir?"

"I've already owled your father. He and Professor McGonagall should be here soon," Dumbledore replied.

Allison nodded as the door opened and Madam Pomfrey told them they could return. Regulus was still unconscious on the bed and Sirius stayed by his side holding his hand. Allison pulled a chair up next to him to wait by his side. She had a feeling that when Regulus did wake up he would say some things Sirius wasn't ready to hear and she wanted to be with both of them.

"I'll bring up some lunch," Dumbledore offered before leaving the room. Madam Pomfrey also left, disappearing into her office and leaving the three teens alone in the room.

"You don't have to wait with me," Sirius told her.

"I want to, though, if that's alright? I like Reg. I'd like to be here with him," Allison answered reaching for Sirius's hand.

"Thanks," Sirius said as he laid his head down on Allison's shoulder. "What if he never wakes up? I've been such an arse to him."

"It will all be alright," Allison told him hoping she was right.

* * *

><p>Regulus didn't wake up until late into the evening and by then Moody and McGonagall had arrived and Dumbledore had returned twice with meals that were only pushed around the plates for a while before they were forgotten.<p>

Finally around ten, Regulus started to stir causing Sirius to jump out of his chair. "Reg, what happened? Who did this to you?"

"Death Eaters," was his simple answer.

"Do you know why, boy?" Moody asked scaring Regulus and causing him to jump slightly.

Staring at the auror in front of him Regulus nodded. "Mother and Father found out that I was spending time with Sirius. They were afraid I wouldn't join the Dark Lord. They confronted me about it and when I told them I had no intention of joining him they had the younger Death Eaters do this to me."

Sirius looked ready to fly into a rage. He'd endured many beatings at the hands of his parents but they'd never set a gang of teenagers on him. He was taking many deep breaths trying to steady himself when McGonagall asked, "How did they find out dear?"

Regulus looked at Sirius with fear in his eyes. He was afraid if he told them the truth his brother wouldn't believe him, that he'd hate him forever.

"We need to know, Regulus," Dumbledore urged. "We need to fight him."

Regulus took a deep breath, realizing that his next words could very well be the ones that ended his relationship with his brother forever. "It was Pettigrew," he finally answered.

Sirius stopped his pacing and rounded on his brother, "Peter Pettigrew?"

"I'm sorry, Sirius. He's been a Death Eater since last year."

"You can't be serious."

"He is," Moody told Sirius. "I've been investigating it for a while and all of my information points to it."

"But initiation is murdering a muggle," Sirius told them, a look of disgust on his face. "Was he involved in this?"

Regulus nodded and before anyone could stop him Sirius bolted out of the room. Allison reacted first chasing after him. Moody and Dumbledore followed suit but weren't able to keep up with the teens.

Sirius was running down the corridors, shoving classmates out of his way. Allison was hot on his heels. Normally she would stop on the way to apologize but instead she was dodging angry professors and hurdling over fallen students. A group of first years were entering the portrait hole when they arrived and Sirius threw them through the hole to get in fast. Allison cleared the five first years in one lunge.

"Black, how many times do I have to tell you-" Lily tried to reprimand but Sirius had already zeroed in on his target and couldn't hear anything around him.

Sirius grabbed Peter by the throat off of the armchair where he sat playing wizard's chess with Remus.

"Woah, Sirius! What the hell are you doing?" James asked in shock.

"Show me your left arm," Sirius told him in a deathly low tone.

"What?" Peter squeaked, fear in his eyes.

Everyone in the common room looked on in shock. What was Sirius doing to his friend? They were marauders. They were inseparable.

"Don't play stupid with me, Pettigrew! Not after what you did to my brother! Show me your fucking arm! NOW!"

"What do you expect to find there, Padfoot," Remus reasoned.

James, however, was getting frustrated and Peter was turning blue. "I'll do it. It's not like he has the Dark Mark or anything!" James reached for Peter's arm and pulled the sleeve up as Peter tried to squirm away.

The entire room gasped at what they saw. James, Sirius, and Remus backed away in disgust giving Peter an opportunity to find his wand but Allison was too quick. "Expelliarmus!" she yelled and Peter's wand shot into the air. By then Moody and Dumbledore had made their way into the room.

"Petrificus Totalus," Moody growled and Peter fell to the floor. "I'll be taking this one to the Ministry now," he told Dumbledore before turning to Sirius. "Good work, there, Black. Needs some fine tuning but eventually you'll make a damn fine auror."

Sirius didn't bother looking around. He ignored his housemates and walked right past his best friends toward the portrait hole.

"Padfoot," James called. "Where are you going?"

"Reg is in the hospital wing. Peter had him attacked," Allison whispered to James and Remus before running after Sirius.


	10. Chapter 10

By the time Allison caught up to Sirius he was standing by the locked doors to the Hospital Wing. "I need some air," he finally told her after minutes of total silence. It was the most calm she'd seen him since around noon.

She nodded. "I'll wait for you in the common room," she replied as she turned to go.

"You're not coming with?"

Looking up at him, she smiled. "Of course. If that's what you want."

That was all it took. Sirius took her by the hand and led her down corridors and up flights of stairs until they were standing on top of the astronomy tower. Allison knew from the future that Sirius would talk only when Sirius was ready to talk so she walked to the railing and looked down over the grounds allowing him to pace behind her.

It took a while but eventually he calmed himself down enough to join her watching the scenery. That's when he noticed that she was shivering. It had been a somewhat warm day so neither of them had brought their cloaks when they went to Hogsmeade earlier and in the excitement of the afternoon and evening they hadn't had time to collect them either. Improvising Sirius wrapped both arms around her from behind.

"Thank you," he finally whispered in her ear.

"Well, I don't think I've really done all that much but you're welcome anyway," she answered, leaning closer into him as a strong, cold wind blew.

"You did a lot. You got us to the castle faster than I'd have been able to. You stayed with me all day. You kept me calm."

"That's calm?" Having seen Sirius in a rage before, she already knew it was true.

"For me, yes."

"Still I didn't really do anything to-"

"Just having you there calmed me. Thank you." She only nodded, feeling that the time for talking was over. She leaned back further still allowing him to support her.

Moments later they heard the door creaked open. Not knowing how long they'd been up there, they were sure that they'd just been busted by Filch until, "You alright, mate?" James asked as he approached them to the right.

Sirius didn't respond. He didn't know how to.

"Stupid question," James answered for him. "I went with Dumbledore to his office after you left. I was hoping to get some answers. Reg's things are already piling up there."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked still staring out at the grounds.

"From the howler mummy dearest sent Dumbledore it seems he's been disowned as well," James explained. "I already flooed mum and dad about it. They'll be here tomorrow to collect his things. Mum's going to bring him home till he heals."

"James's mum is a healer," Sirius explained.

"I know," Allison answered with a yawn.

"We should get back to the common room before curfew," James told them, digging through his bag. "I brought this." He through something Hermione knew to be the invisibility cloak over both of them. "You two can sneak in with me so no one bothers you. The entire house is in the common room still."

Sirius nodded even though James couldn't see it. Allison felt it and together the three of them made their way back to the door, down the stairs, through the corridors and into the common room where Remus was trying to get people to their beds. He even tried using his prefect authority but, as it wasn't even curfew yet, those were no use.

"It's James!" someone yelled when they walked in.

"Did you find him?" another person asked as James pushed their way to the boys' staircase.

"How did he know?" yet another ask.

Snapping, James turned on them. "I don't bloody well know how he knew! And I'm don't feel like answering any of your damned questions! I didn't' find him and I'm not some freak show for you lot to stare at so back off before I hex each and every one of you! I'm going to bed now and I don't want to be bothered!"

He was so forceful that even Allison wanted to shrink away from him but Sirius pushed on behind her and together they followed James through the wide path he'd managed to make up to their dormitory.

Remus followed after, grabbing the cloak off of them as soon as the door was shut and securely locked behind them. Looking around the room, the saw that Peter's things were already gone leaving only an empty bed, shelf, desk, and wardrobe.

"Well?" James and Remus asked together.

"Reg isn't a Death Eater. He has no intention of becoming one. Pettigrew was initiated into it last school year sometime. He had Reg jumped for eating dinner with us earlier this week. I don't know the details and I don't want to know them right now," Sirius told them, sounding exhausted. "I just want to go to bed."

"Sure, mate," James told him before turning to Allison. "Alright, Allie?"

"I'm fine," she told him, completely honestly. She'd known for years that Peter was a traitor. The person she'd been worried about was Regulus but he'd decided not to become a Death Eater and he was moving in with the Potters. Hopefully that would be enough to save his life. Two things were completed from her list now: expose Peter, save Regulus. She was going over her checklist in her at the moment.

"You're sure?" Remus asked. "You look a little dazed."

"No, really. I'm fine," Allison told him. Turning to James, "can I borrow your cloak to get to my dormitory, please? I don't want to be bothered in the common room."

James nodded and with a flick of his wrist she was gone.

Slb slb slb

"So, how was it?" Alice asked the next morning. Allison had been trying to be quiet and sneak out to meet the boys in their dorm but accidentally knocked over a stack of Lily's books on her way out the door. "I mean before the whole Death Eater thing."

"That was the date," Allison answered. "We were on our way to lunch when we found Regulus and had to take him to the hospital wing."

"But you were gone all day."

"I stayed with Sirius. I have to go though." Alice just nodded and lay back down.

Snape was already in the hospital wing by the time Allison and the boys showed up. "I'll just leave," he said on seeing Sirius and James enter the room.

"Not on our account," Sirius told him, though it seemed forced. "If Reg wants you here then stay." Severus reseated himself as Sirius turned to his brother. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," Regulus answered while accepting a hug from Allison. "Are the rumors true?"

"Which ones?" James asked in return.

"Pettigrew was arrested last night? He tried to curse all of Gryffindor when he realized he was found out?"

"He got arrested," Sirius answered, laughing.

"But he didn't get a chance to curse anyone," James added. "Sirius grabbed him by the throat and forced him to reveal himself and Allie disarmed him before he could fire off any curses."

"You did that for me?" Regulus asked his brother.

"You're my brother, Reg. I'd do anything for you."

Just then James's parents walked in, escorted by Professor McGonagall. Regulus tried to sit upto see what was happening but he had internal bleeding the day before and his abdomen was still too sore.

"Mum, Dad!" James greeted, excitedly.

"It's good to see you boys," Harold greeted shaking hand with Remus, James and Sirius. "Allison, how are you?" he asked as he hugged her. Elizabeth had gone into Madam Pomfrey's office with her to discuss Regulus's care. "This must be Regulus," Harold continued, extending his hand to the younger boy.

"Yeah, Dad," Sirius told him. "This is my brother, Reg, and his friend Severus." Snape seemed surprised to hear his voice.

"It's very nice to meet you both. How are you feeling Reg?"

"I'm a lot better than yesterday," Regulus answered.

"Very good to hear. Now I don't know how much the boys have told you about last night-"

"We haven't even gotten to that stuff yet," James interrupted his father.

"Maybe we should go," Remus suggested and Allison stood to follow him, pulling James with her. Snape followed after them.

===In the hospital wing===

"Reg, when Dumbledore got back to his office last night there was a howler from Mother. She told him that you're no longer welcome in their home," Sirius told his brother who just lay there nodding.

"I figured as much," he finally replied, "when I told them I would never become a Death Eater."

Harold was horrified. How could these boys just expect to be disowned so easily? How could they accept it without getting upset? "James was with Professor Dumbledore when he got the letter and he flooed us about it," Harold explained. "As you know, Sirius has been living with us since his fifth year." Regulus nodded.

Elizabeth had joined them by now. "We discussed it last night and we were you would like to move in with us as well. We have more than enough room and it would make us all very happy to have you," she told him.

"Are you sure?" Regulus asked.

"Please, Reg. The Potters are great. You'll love it there," Sirius pleaded.

"Okay then. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Potter."

"Elizabeth and Harold, dear," Elizabeth corrected.

"Now that we have that settled," Professor McGonagall told him, "there is the matter of your safety to consider."

"Safety?" Sirius asked. He knew Regulus would have to leave the school to heal but what was this that they were talking about now?

"Yes, his safety," Elizabeth told Sirius as she took his hand and sat him in a chair near the bed. "We believe it would be best for Regulus to be complete his education at home. Alastor discovered during his investigation that many of the people to attack you were in your own house and we'd like to prevent any future violence toward you."

Regulus looked stunned.

"Please understand, Mr. Black," McGonagall told Regulus, "that this is in no way meant as a punishment for you. Our only concern at the moment is to keep you safe. Elizabeth is a Healer and more than qualified to continue both your care and education."

"I'll do it," Regulus answered. "If you think its best I'll do it."

a/n: I still love reviews and would love to see more of them. Also I'm still looking for a beta! Let me know if you're interested. Thanks for reading.


	11. Chapter 11

THE STORY REMAINS THE SAME. I OWN NOTHING. I LOVE REVIEWS!

It had been over a month since Peter was arrested and Regulus left the school and the remaining three marauders and Allison were laying low. The day after Regulus's beating Dumbledore announced to the school that Hogsmeade trips would be canceled until further notice and there was a sunset curfew for being outside of the confines of the castle with a common room restrictive curfew at nine every night. Even prefect duties were canceled. Halls were now being patrolled by teachers.

Some parents were pushing for the school to be shut down until Voldemort's defeat. Others had already pulled their students out of school on their own. No one liked the idea of their children attending classes with young Death Eaters.

In fact the only house to not lose students was Gryffindor. Regulus was the only Slytherin to withdraw from the school. There seemed to be a silent standoff between the two houses.

Being cooped up inside of the castle for so long took a toll on the students. With the lack of outside stimulation all they had for entertainment was gossip and their favorite gossip was the Marauders, Allison, Regulus, and Peter.

That is why Remus, Sirius, James, and Allison found themselves locked in the sixth year boys' dormitory most days including this particular rainy mid-November Saturday, just like most other days.

"Heard from Reg recently?" Allison asked as she sat cross-legged on Sirius's bed.

"I have," Sirius confirm laying his head in her lap and allowing her to play with his hair. "He's heeled up fine and Mum's started his training. He likes it there but gets tired of being cooped up with no one else his age around. Can't wait for Christmas!"

"You're spending Christmas with us this year right Allie?" James asked.

"I don't know yet. It all depends on what Dad's up to by then."

"You should at least come for a few days," Sirius urged. "It's great. Moony comes every year."

"Snape will be there this year," James added. He didn't seem angry or pleased. It was more complacent. He'd made an effort, on Sirius and Allison's urging, to be more polite to the Slytherin and in return Snape had done the same. "Mum's invited him since he was planning on spending the holiday with Reg here anyway."

"That does sound fun," Allison told them. She was the only one in the group to actually make friends with Snape. The others were trying but there was years of damage to repair on both sides. "I'll owl Dad later and see what he thinks. For now though, I need to see Professor McGonagall about something." She gently lifted Sirius's head from her lap and stepped off of the bed.

"What's going on there?" Remus asked once she was out of the room.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"He means you and Allie, Pads. And I'm sort of curious myself."

"Nothing," Sirius answered. "I like her…a lot. But it's hard to do anything about it when everyone's watching us all the time."

"No one's watching you when you're in here," James offered.

"Really, Prongs?" Sirius countered with a raised eyebrow. "No one's watching us in here? I think you're forgetting about her over-protective god-brother whose jaw clenches whenever we're within ten feet of each other. You have to get over that, mate! I really do care about her."

Slb slb slb

Allison left the boys' dormitory due to a slightly irksome tingling in her left shoulder. She much preferred this sensation to the painful burning the future Snape once told her a Dark Mark summons causes. She was being called to Professor McGonagall's office for a weekly meeting with the more senior Order members. They needed to discuss the strange issue of Tom Riddle's diary.

To her great pleasure though, when Allison walked into the office she saw a family of red heads surrounding the fireplace: a very young Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with their three oldest children. Bill looked to be about six, Charlie four and Percy was only a few months old if her calculations were correct. She felt like crying, and for the first time in months it was the happy kind of crying. Charlie and Bill were rolling a ball back and forth on the floor while Percy was being cooed over by all the adults in the room.

Charlie lost control of the ball and it rolled to Allison's feet. When he came to get it he stared into Allison's face before proclaiming, "You pretty. Mommy, I marry her someday."

Allison laughed when she heard this, remembering when she first met Charlie. It was her first year when he and his dragon trainer friends came to pick up Norbert, Hagrid's pet dragon. She fantasized for months about marrying him one day. "I'm sure you'll find someone much better suited for you, Charlie. I'll be an old lady by the time you can marry."

"Nuh uh!" He protested. "Like you."

"How you know his name?" Bill asked, abandoning his place on the floor to join his younger brother.

"Allison is an old friend of ours," their mother told them. Greeting her with a hug, Molly also whispered, "Dumbledore told us everything dear. Such a brave girl."

Behind her, Allison heard a throat clear. Dumbledore and Moody had entered the room.

"We'd like to called this meeting to order," Dumbledore told them and everyone took their seats in a circle. Moody sat next to Allison and near Dumbledore who remained standing. "When Allison first arrived she gave us some important intell about a diary that once belonged to Tom Riddle."

"I'm sorry, but who?" Arthur asked.

"Tom Riddle is Voldemort's real name," Allison answered for Dumbledore.

"Don't say his name, dear," Molly warned.

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," Dumbledore told her before continuing. "Now, what Allison told us was that when her friend stabbed this diary it died in the same way that a person could die." Allison nodded. "And that when Voldemort tried to kill this same friend, he instead transferred some of his own powers to the boy. Have any of you ever heard of a horcrux?" Everyone in the room looked puzzled. "A horcrux is a rare and dangerous form of magic. When one person murders another they've committed an act so heinous that it tears the soul. With the correct spell they are able to preserve that piece of soul in an object, possibly even a person."

"Are you saying Harry had a piece of Voldemort inside of him?" Allison asked, a look of disgust distorting her face.

"I believe so," Dumbledore answered. "What we need to know, though, is how many he made and how we do we destroy them?"

"Well," a chill ran down Allison's spine as she spoke, "Harry told me that he stabbed the diary with a basilisk fang."

"Where on earth would a second year find a basilisk fang?" Moody asked.

Allison had known she'd forgotten something. "The basilisk is the monster in the Chamber of Secrets." Everyone in the room sat wide eyed. Harold Potter knew that the chamber existed. The professors, Moody and Harold all knew that the Chamber existed having been at the school when it was opened the first time but the Weasleys always thought it to be legend. "Voldemort used the diary to possess a first year. She let the monster out in the school. It didn't manage to kill anyone but many of us were petrified. Toward the end of the year the girl went into the Chamber to…to die. The Defense professor was assigned to rescue her but he was a total coward and Harry and Ron went in instead. Harry killed the basilisk and used one of its fangs to stab the diary."

"Do you know where the entrance is?" McGonagall asked. "We should take care of that to keep it from ever being a problem again."

"The sink in Moaning Myrtle's loo. You have to tell it to open in parseltongue."

"Mummy," Bill called from his place in front of the fireplace where he'd been reading a book to Charlie. "We're hungry."

"Go ahead, Molly," Dumbledore told her. "We're almost done here." They said their goodbyes and returned to their seats after the Weasley's were gone. "Is there anything else you can tell us Allison? Anything that stands out to you at all."

Allison wracked her brain for any information. She felt horrible for forgetting to tell them about the Chamber for so long. She'd meant to that day when she saw the boys sneaking in after the full moon but then Sirius asked her out and everything happened with Regulus that weekend and she simply forgot. "Harry always sees a snake," she finally told them. "He's got this strange mental connection to Voldemort and he has dreams about him sometimes. He's got a snake named Nagini that is always with him, everywhere."

When the meeting finally broke up an hour later Moody and Harold asked to speak to Allison.

"I'm so sorry!" she told them as soon as they were alone. "I can't believe I forgot to mention the Chamber earlier!"

"You're fine, dear," he father told her. "You're new to the Order. You're allowed to make mistakes."

She wasn't used to this. In the future there was absolutely no room for mistakes. Ever. She only nodded.

"We were hoping to discuss your living situation," Harold told her.

"I'm not around much," Moody told her. "We feel like it would more stable for you to stay with the Potters on holidays."

"We realize that you're of age and you can choose to stay in your father's home if you like but we're concerned about your safety and don't want you to be lonely. We have room in our home and the boys will be there as well."

"We were actually just talking about this," Allison told them. "I would like that a lot."

"That's great. I'll let Elizabeth know and I'm sure you'll hear from her soon about decorating ideas. She just loves having you kids at the house."

Allison hugged each of them before heading back into her common room where she was met with more stares from her housemates. She made her way up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. She slowly pushed the door open and called into the room, "I'm back. Ready to go to dinner?" The room was quiet and dimly lit. "Hello?"

a/n: Review. Hope you're enjoying! Thanks


	12. Chapter 12

Allison slowly pushed the door open and called into the room, "I'm back. Ready to go to dinner?" The room was quiet and dimly lit. "Hello?" Drawing her wand she stepped into the room. They told her they'd be in here all day, that they'd wait for her to go down to the great hall for dinner. She gasped at the scene in front of her.

There was a table in the middle of the room set with a crimson table cloth. A bouquet of white roses sat in the middle of the table surrounded by tea light candles. Dinner was already waiting and Sirius was standing next to one of the two empty chairs in dark jeans and a white button down shirt. He smiled when he saw her come in.

"I feel incredibly underdressed," she told him, looking down at her faded straight legged blue jeans, floral tank, and purple cardigan.

"You look beautiful to me," he told her, crossing the room in two long strides to escort her to her chair.

"What is all this?" she asked as he pushed her chair in and sat across from her.

"I owe you a date. I finally convinced James to leave us alone long enough for one meal." She blushed as he stared intently across the table at her. "But by one meal, I think he means as long as it takes for him to scarf down his supper in the great hall and run back upstairs so eat up." She laughed and began eating her meal. "So what did you have to talk to McGonagall about?"

"My dad's being sent on another mission," she told him, not exactly lying. The Order decided to send him on a fact finding mission in an attempt to unearth horcrux related information. "He stopped in to say goodbye." Again, not technically a lie.

"Do you know what the mission is?"

"Not exactly. Voldemort related," she avoided the question. "The good news, though, is I'll be spending Christmas with you and James."

"Brilliant! You're going to love Christmas at the Potter's house. They decorate the tree, sing songs, bake, they're like a real family!"

Allison couldn't help but laugh at Sirius's excitement. If the girls in her dorm could see him in these moments they'd understand why she likes him so much. He was a lot more innocent than he liked people to think. "Actually," she told him, "Elizabeth is decorating a room for me. I'll be spending all holidays there. Dad thinks it'll be a more stable home for me, safer, less lonely."

Sirius winked at the last part. "I'll make sure you don't get lonely," he told her, now wiggling his eyebrows.

"Sirius Black!" she mocked offense. "Don't you try to run your game on me!"

He barked his laughter. "I would never," he told her reaching across the table to hold her hand.

"Hey, guys!" James called as he threw the door open and flooded the room with light.

Sirius pulled his hand back and grabbed a roll, throwing it at James's face. "Damn it, Prongs! You said you'd give us some time alone!"

James skillfully caught the roll and took a bite out of it. "I promised one meal and I finished eating ten minutes ago."

"More like five," Remus corrected, following James into the room. "Sorry, Pads. I tried to get him to take the long way around but you know him and his short cuts."

James had already pulled a desk chair over to the table and was reaching for their desert.

Allison just shook her head and took her plate to sit on the empty bed that was now her territory. She'd moved her books and notes to the shelf and desk. She did all of her studying and homework here now. She really only went back to her own dormitory to sleep and shower. As much as she liked Lily and Alice, she was keeping her distance until the gossip died down a little. As nice as her roommates were, they asked a lot of questions.

"James," she called, "I just saw my dad. Looks like I'll be at your house on holidays from now on."

"Splendid," James replied. "I'll tell mum to put up in the room next to mine!"

Sirius rolled his eyes as he too moved his plate to sit on the bed with Allison. "You mean the room that requires everyone—meaning me—to pass your open door to get to?"

"Yeah," James answered with a smile, "that one."

Soon everyone lost track of time playing wizard's chess and exploding snaps. Finally at midnight, Remus was so tired he fell asleep on the chess board much to the distaste of the black knight that was currently poking him in the forehead with his sword. Allison and Sirius looked up to see James lying in bed with his eyes closed also, seemingly asleep.

"I should get to bed," Allison whispered. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Don't forget these," Sirius told her, handing her the roses. "Can we try again next week?"

"I'd like that," she answered smiling. "But let me plan it this time?"

"Whatever you like, love," Sirius told her leaning in with a hand on her cheek.

"Lips off!" James yelled from his bed causing Sirius to jump away.

"Guess he wasn't asleep after all," Allison laughed as she opened the door to go.

Slb slb slb

"Who are the roses from?" Lily asked Tuesday morning when she finally caught up to Allison on the way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"That would be me," Sirius answered for her from behind. Allison was walking in front of the group discussing runes with Remus while James and Sirius lagged behind planning a prank.

"And what did you do?" Lily directed the question at Sirius this time.

"What do you mean?"

"How'd you mess up so badly that you bought a girl flowers? You've never bought a girl flowers before."

"Can't a bloke plan a romantic first date for the girl he's crazy about without it being interrupted by his best mate and his intentions questioned by the bird who refuses to give said best mate a chance? My intentions are completely pure!"

"And he didn't do anything wrong," Allison added, noticing Sirius's escalation and attempting to defuse the situation. "He was and has always been a complete gentleman to me."

"Thank you," Sirius replied, leaving James now to walk ahead of the group with Allison.

Remus and Lily both lagged behind. "I thought they had a first date over a month ago?" she asked.

"Nope," James told her. "Got interrupted by the whole Regulus being beaten by Death Eaters incident. That sort of thing tends to ruin the mood."

"But I thought they were already dating. The whole school thinks she's his new girlfriend."

"Not for lack of him trying," Remus interjected, "but Prongs over here never gives him a chance."

"I'm just trying to protect her Moony. Besides," James told Lily, "Sirius has never had a girlfriend before. There's girls he's snogged but no girlfriends."

"Don't you mean girls he's shagged?"

"No, he doesn't actually. Sirius has only shagged one girl. A sixth year during our fourth and he really liked her too but she was using him. You all seem to forget that Sirius wasn't always the 'playboy' the whole school makes him out to be."

"Exactly," James agreed.

"I'm talking to you too, Prongs. He's not the person they make him out to be and as his best mate you should realize that and ease up on him. I really don't think he'll hurt Allie. I've never seen him act like this before not even with Dottie. And you," he continued, rounding on a snickering Lily, "when are you going to realize that James is in love with you!"

"Moonie!" James protested.

"It's true. He's not trying to use you! He doesn't want to shag you and leave. He's a virgin and plans on staying that way till he's married! He hasn't even snogged a girl since he realized how much he cares about you and that was over two years ago! Give the guy a break!" Yes, he probably wouldn't have said it if it weren't the day before a full moon but he was proud of himself for doing it. Somebody had to.

Slb slb slb

"So," Severus asked as he walked Allison back to her common room after studying on Wednesday night, "where are you taking Black for your date?" Though he truly believed that Remus was a werewolf, he'd decided for the sake of civility to let it go. Remus was always the kindest of the marauders and now that they were all turning over a new leaf Severus decided to let his secret remain just that. It did however present a problem on full moons. The boys were hesitant to leave Allison alone with the new threat level and the ever present gossip but they also couldn't leave Moonie alone in the Dark Forrest. There was also the threat of her discovering their secret. So Severus had volunteered to keep her out until curfew on full moons, such as tonight's case.

"Can't tell you. Top secret!"

"Oh come on! You really think I'm interested in gossiping about your love life like the rest of the school?"

"Of course not," she laughed. "But James has spies everywhere and I don't intend to allow him to ruin this date as well."

"So you don't think I'm a gossip?" She shook her head. "But you do think I may be spying on you for Potter?" She nodded. "You're aware that we've only just started being civil to each other. Since our first train ride we haven't gotten along."

"The perfect cover," Allison told him with a sly smile.

They'd reached the portrait hole now and were saying their goodbyes when Lilly, Alice, and Frank Longbottom turned down the corridor. "If you're here for me I have no intention of speaking to you Severus," Lily told him as she walked past them to the portrait hole.

"Actually, Lils, I'm just making sure Allie made it back safely from our study session," he told her solemnly before turning to go.

"Bye, Sev," Allison called before he disappeared down the stairs.

a/n: Review for another update soon!


	13. Chapter 13

ALAS, STILL NOTHING!

Lily was stomping around the dormitory, slamming doors and drawers.

"Alright, I give up!" Allison told her. "What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

"Why are they getting along for you? Why do James and Sev suddenly not want to see each other dead? Why did James quit pranking so much for you? Why did Sev quit hanging out with those vile friends of his for you?" Lily raged. "Well?"

"None of it's for me," Allison finally told her in a soothing voice.

"Really? So it's some big coincidence that you show up and all of a sudden after over five years of them hating each other everything changes?"

"It's not a coincidence but it has nothing to do with me. Sirius wanted to fix things with Reg and that meant having to at least try with Sev. James is doing it for Sirius! And they didn't quite pranking by choice! Everyone is watching them all the time." Allison explained as calmly as possible.

"But…he…they…UGH!"

"Lily, do you like James?" Lily was silent but blushing. "You do!"

"It doesn't matter," she countered. "He doesn't really like me and it would really hurt Sev."

"Okay," Allison rounded on her, "we both know that James likes you. Merlin, Lily, he loves you! The whole school knows it! The professors know it! Even the ghosts know it!"

"But, Sev-"

"Has a girlfriend," Allison cut her off. "He's been secretly dating someone for months now."

"Who?" Lily gasped.

"It's a secret," Allison told her. "I promised them I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Well, fine then," Lily pouted.

Slb slb slb

"How's Remus?" Allison asked as James and Sirius joined her in Defense Friday afternoon, each taking a seat next to her. He must've hurt himself badly on Wednesday night because he'd been in the hospital wing for two days now. The boys told her that he had an intestinal infection and always found an excuse for her not to go visit him when they went.

"He's doing better," James told her. "Madam Pomfrey says he should be able to leave the hospital wing before dinner. Maybe you two could postpone your date to-"

"Shove it Prongs!" Sirius warned. "Moonie told you not to try to interrupt this time or he'd make you pay."

"You should probably steal his cloak for the night as well," Allison told him.

"Good idea."

"Um, no," James protested. "No, it's not! It's a bad idea. A very bad idea!"

"What's a very bad idea?" Lily asked, taking a seat next to James.

"Nothing," James practically yelled before Sirius could come up with a way to embarrass him the way Remus had only days earlier. "Look! Class is starting!"

"Um, thank you, Mr. Potter, for the introduction," Professor Smith said as he took his place in front of the class. "Today we will be practicing disarming and shielding spells. Please partner up. I will be walking around the class observing."

"Sirius?" James suggested turning to his friend but Allison had already turned in his direction.

"Sorry, mate," Sirius answered. "Think I'll be working with Allie on this one."

Lily's eyes grew wide when she heard this.

"You should partner with Lily," Allison suggested with a smile at her friends before allow Sirius to lift her from her chair and walk to a far corner. "She likes him," she whispered. "You should get him to ask her out again."

"Prongs hasn't asked Lily out since last year when Snape called her…what Snape called her. They had a huge row. She called him an arrogant toe-rag, said he was just as bad as Snape because we hex and jinx people for fun."

"That is pretty bad," Allison interrupted.

"The point is," Sirius continued, "he's not just going to ask her out. She turned him down daily for years then saying all that. I think his feelings are hurt."

"But he likes her."

"He loves her," Sirius corrected.

Slb slb slb

"So where exactly does Allie plan on taking you tonight?" James asked before leaving the dormitory to meet Remus in the Hospital Wing.

"I don't know where she's taking me but if I did I definitely wouldn't tell you exactly where it is," Sirius told him. "And what is this?" he asked grabbing something from James's pocket.

"Damn it, Pads! Give it back!" James whined.

"I fully intend on it," Sirius told him, stuffing the invisibility cloak in his own pocket. "Right after Allie and I get back tonight."

"But Padfoot-"

Sirius cut him off, "how were things with Evans today?"

"Um, fine. Why?"

"No reason, really, just wondering. When'd you last ask her out anyway?"

"Um…before the whole thing with Sev in the spring. You know that."

"Ever planning on asking her again?"

"Don't know, mate," James replied, eyebrows raised at his friend. "We're in a good place right now I think. She doesn't insult me and she actually chooses to be around me now. I don't want to mess it up."

Sirius nodded and let James leave, wanting him gone before Allison got there.

Only moments later there was a soft knock on the door. Slowly the door creaked open and Allison's head peaked in. "Sirius?" she called

"Right here, love." He came forward and embraced her. "You look beautiful."

Allison blushed looking down at herself. She was wearing a floral cap-sleeved dress with a sweetheart neckline with a purple cardigan sweater over it and cream colored ballet flats. Her hair hung loose shadowing her face. "Thank you," she replied. "You're looking quite handsome yourself," she added, taking in his dark jeans and black pin-striped button down.

"Shall we be off, then?" Sirius asked handing her a single red rose and offering his arm.

"Wait right there," Allison told Sirius as they approached the seventh floor corridor. Sirius did as he was told and stood back watching as Allison walked back and forth in front of the wall three times. Suddenly a door appeared in the wall. "Come on," she said taking his hand and leading the way toward the door.

When they walked into the room there was an immaculately set table where Allison set up dinner. In one corner of the room there was a roaring fire with a couch in front of it. "How'd you do that? How'd you find this place?" Sirius asked in awe.

"Will you accept that it's a secret and I can't tell you," she was using his own words from months earlier, "yet?" she added.

He nodded. "I guess I'll have to seeing as you're allowing me my secrets."

"Thank you."

The time seemed to fly by. They had dinner and then snuggled on the couch in front of the fire, talking. After a couple of hours Sirius groaned.

"What's wrong?"

"It's almost nine. We should get back to the common room."

"Do we have to?" Allison groaned as well.

"We'll I do have the cloak but you're not the type to break the rules."

Allison stifled a laugh. If only he knew how many times she'd used that exact cloak to sneak out in the middle of the night. She began twisting Harry's gift around her wrist. "You're right," she finally said. "We should go."

Standing from the couch, Sirius offered her his hand and pulled her to her feet. Once she was standing he leaned in quickly, cupping her face, and kissed her. He pulled away slowly, eyes still closed. "Wow."

a/n: Oh finally. Review please. I already have the next chapter written and ready to go & two good, constructive reviews will get it posted. Thanks friends!


	14. Chapter 14

a/n: I got my reviews so as promised here is the next chapter. Enjoy.

"Wow," Allison agreed.

"I had to do it before we got back to the common rooms and James interrupted us again," he told her before leaning down and capturing her lips again.

"And that?" she asked breathlessly when they pulled apart.

"One for the road?" he replied.

Sirius held Allison's left hand as they walked back to the common room swinging them in the air watching as the bracelet on her left wrist slid up and down her arm.

"What's so special about that bracelet you always play with?" he asked bringing her wrist closer to his face so he could inspect the engraving.

"It was a gift from my best friend. He gave it to me for my seventeenth birthday, right before I came here."

"Friendship, strength, loyalty," he read.

"You read runic?"

"I am a man of many talents. Who's the friend?"

"Harry. He's more than a friend really."

"So he's a boyfriend, then?" Sirius asked releasing her hand.

Allison laughed and took hold of his hand again. "No. Not even close. He was more like a brother than anything. In fact James reminds me a lot of him."

"You're sure?"

She couldn't believe she was actually having this ridiculous conversation. They'd had a similar conversation the summer before her fifth year except that time Sirius had been drunk and explaining to Harry the importance of birth control. "Positive. Besides I won't be seeing him again."

It was true. The Harry meant to be born in four years wouldn't be the same person as the Harry she left. For the first time that thought didn't make her cry.

"Is he…did he…pass?"

"Something like that."

Sirius nodded and led her through the portrait hole, through the common room where they encountered many whispers, and up the stairs to his dorm where he knew James and Remus were waiting. He had his hand on the knob when Allison pulled it away and wrapped both his hands around her waist. She stood on her toes with her hands on his shoulders and once again captured his mouth. The kiss was longer this time and deeper. She had to force herself to pull away. "One more before James interrupts us."

"Sirius! Allie! Is that you?" James called while opening the door. "See Moonie? He called back into the room, "I knew it was them this time."

"You'll have to tell me how to get into that room," Sirius whispered in her ear as they stepped into the room.

"If he doesn't ease up, I might take up permanent residence in there!" she whispered back.

"Hey!" James protested. "No secrets in wizard kindergarten!"

Slb slb slb

"How was the date last night?" Lily asked the next morning.

"And why do you stay in their dorm with them so late every night?" Alice added.

"The date was amazing. And I don't want to answer questions or deal with gossip so I hang out with the only people in the school who understand and won't ask questions." Allison realized that her wording could come off as rude but at the moment she didn't really care.

"A Gryffindor was outed as a Death Eater in our common room by his best friend and a Slytherin that everyone expected to be a Death Eater was beaten because he refused the Dark Mark and you have the inside details," Alice told her. "You have to expect people to be curious!"

"And I do! But that doesn't mean that I have to answer all their ridiculous question and it definitely doesn't mean that it gives them any right to gossip about my love, personal, or sex life involving Sirius and James," Allison fired back.

Alice looked ready to scream so Lily attempted to defuse it. "She has a point, Alice. It really is no one's business."

"So you're telling me you aren't sha-"

"ALICE!" Lily yelled. "You didn't like it last year when everyone was spreading those rumors about you and Frank."

Alice looked ashamed. "I'm sorry, Allie. You're right. It isn't anyone's business."

"It's fine," she replied. "I'm used to it by now." And it was true. She was used to it. Being the best friend of 'the boy who lived' for so long definitely had its downside. Just then she felt that bothersome tingling in her left shoulder again. "I have to go, anyway. Bye"

"Bye, Allie," Lily called.

"You don't think she's mad at me do you?" Alice asked once Allison was gone.

"What I think is that you need to learn when to shut up," Lily warned her friend. "That was uncalled for."

Slb slb slb

"We have information," Dumbledore told the Order during their unscheduled Saturday morning meeting in his office. "Professor Slughorn, in exchange for our protection has given us a key piece of information in the form of a memory."

"What do you mean, Albus?" McGonagall asked.

"It seems that when Tom Riddle attended Hogwarts he had a discussion with Professor Slughorn on the subject of horcruxes. He mentioned making seven."

McGonagall gasped. "He's ripped his soul into seven pieces?"

"You misunderstand, Minerva," Moody responded. "Every time he murders he rips his soul. It's in hundreds of pieces by now. If I'm correct all Albus is saying is that Voldemort only intends to preserve seven of those pieces."

Everyone in the room looked horrified.

"That's just so…"Elizabeth Potter trailed off. She was attending the meeting in place of Harold, who stayed home with Regulus.

"Now," Dumbledore told them, "we need to investigate what he may have used for horcruxes."

"Then find and destroy them," Allison added.

"Correct."

"Did you go into the Chamber?"

"We did," Moody told her, showing her a fresh scar on his forearm. "A few of the younger Order members and I attended to that on Monday during classes. He put up a hell of a fight but we got him in the end. Stripped him of his fangs."

"So now we need to brainstorm," McGonagall told them. "What would Voldemort make into a horcrux?"

"Well we already know that Harry will be one. We have just under five years to prevent that," Allison offered.

"My grandson? A horcrux?" Elizabeth asked.

"When Voldermort attacked him but couldn't kill him he transferred some of his powers to Harry. It stands to reason that what he really did was unintentionally transfer a piece of his soul," Allison told her.

"Dear, why couldn't Voldemort kill Harry?"

"James and Lily both sacrificed themselves to save him," Allison told her. "Professor Dumbledore told him when we were in our first year that the love they showed for him is what saved his life. Love is purer than hate."

The room was silent for a moment. Finally Moody interrupted the quiet. "Anything else stick out to you?" he asked Allison.

"The diary that Lucius Malfoy had and his snake?" Allison told them.

"Yes, we are in the process of searching for the diary now," Dumbledore told her.

"And the snake?" Allison asked.

"It seems a plausible possibility," Moody answered. "We can go after the snake the next time he make a public appearance."

"No," Allison warned. "We should wait."

"Wait?" Arthur Weasley asked. "Why would we wait? We want to defeat him."

"Yes but we don't want him to know what we are doing," Allison answered. "If you kill Nagini he could figure it out then he would guard the rest of the horcruxes better. We need to wait till we go after him. Nagini will be there and we can take them both out at once."

"Very logical thinking," Dumbledore complimented. "We should wait on the snake."

"That's three," McGonagall told them. "There should be four more."

"I have no idea," Allison told them. "I could find very little information about Riddle in all of my research. Perhaps someone who knew him better, or at all, would have some ideas."

"Yes, Allison. You've been very helpful. You should probably go on to the Great Hall for breakfast now. I understand that you've spent much of your time with Misters Black, Potter, and Lupin lately. We wouldn't want them getting suspicious, now would we?" Dumbledore dismissed her.

a/n: Next chapter is almost done & should be ready to post tomorrow morning but only if I get four reviews tonight. Thanks for reading!


	15. Chapter 15

a/n: Forgot that I have a conference tomorrow so I'm posting this tonight. Enjoy and review!

"Hello James," a tall, thin, blonde Hufflepuff wearing far too much make up cooed as she sat herself down at the Gryffindor table at lunch.

"Hey…um…uh"

The girl laughed as she wrapped her arms around James's neck, "It's Kelly, silly!"

"Yeah, of course. Hey Kelly. What's up?"

Lily sat a few people down studying with Remus and Allison. "So he loves me?" she asked glaring at the thin blonde hanging on James arm.

"He's not doing anything wrong, Lily," Allison told her.

"Excuse me?"

"It's not like you've ever given him any encouragement," Sirius told her. When Kelly showed up, he left, not liking the girl. He had been coming to join the group and heard the whole thing. "And he doesn't like Kelly. She annoys him. He's just too nice to tell her."

"If you're so concerned about it," Allison added, "then do something."

"And what do you propose I do?"

"Stake your claim," Allison told her with a shrug.

Lily was speechless so Sirius came to Allison's aid. "He's not going to ask you out again," he told her. "You really hurt him before and he likes where you're at now. He wants more but he's afraid that if he asks you out again it'll go back to the way it was before. He can't take that."

"Yes, I'm sure he's that fragile," Lily protested.

"You turned him down for five year, Lils," Remus told her. "And not too kindly either. He is that fragile."

"Stake your claim," Allison told her, taking Sirius's hand and standing from the table.

As they started down the table to the doors James managed to break free of Kelly's vice-like grip to jog after them. "Hey, guys!" he said pushing his way between them with an arm around each of their shoulders. "Where you going?"

"To pack," Allison told him simply. It was the day before school let out for the Christmas holiday and classes were canceled for the afternoon.

"Together?"

Remus ran up behind them. "Hey, Prongs," he called pulling him away from their friends who immediately ran from the room.

"What, Moonie?" he snapped at this friend after turning to see Sirius and Allison already gone.

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted them to get away from you for a while."

"You know they still haven't told us where they've been sneaking off to."

"And with good reason, mate! If you knew where they were going, you'd never leave them alone. Come on. Let's go pack."

"You know they weren't going to pack, right?"

"Of course I know," Remus sighed. "Allie's been packed for days and Sirius will wait till the last minute, stay up all night packing and still forget half his stuff here like always."

"Well as long as you know."

"So I just walk back and forth three times and think of what I want?" Sirius asked as they reached the seventh floor.

"Exactly." He did as he was told and after his third trip down the hall a door appeared.

Walking in Allison noticed that this was the smallest she'd ever seen the room. There was a warm fire and a plush couch. Sirius ran and jumped over the back of the couch landing gracefully in its cushions. Allison was slower, approaching the couch at a steady pace and walking around the side. He apparently was impatient with her progress because two strong arms reached over the back of the couch and pulled her over and onto his lap.

"I just wanted some time alone with you," he whispered. "James isn't going to let us have any for the next few weeks."

"I figured. It should still be fun though. I'm excited to see Reg."

"Yeah, me too. Mum's invited my cousin Andromeda as well. She was in Slytherin as well but married a muggled-born, Ted Tonks. They're daughter Nymphadora is a third year Hufflepuff."

"You're cousin?"

"Yeah, Andromeda's Bella and Cissy's older sister from a different mother. He mum died in child-birth. Anyway, when she married Ted, my uncle was so upset he found himself a new wife and started over, had Bella and Cissy, trained them to be the perfect muggle-hating children he always wanted. Dromeda's cool though. You'll like her."

Allison had known that Tonks was Bellatrix and Narcissa's niece but she didn't know all of the details. The more she heard Sirius talk about his family the less she wondered how he'd turned out the way that future Sirius turned out. This young man was nothing like that. He was bright and fun and innocent. She'd do all she could to see him stay that way.

"You're amazing did you know?" she asked snuggling in closer to his chest.

"What brought that on?"

"I just thought you should hear. For some reason I doubt you ever did hear it as much as you deserved."

Sirius lifted her chin with his finger and gently kissed her lips. "I love you," he whispered as they separated.

"I love you, too," she replied, surprising herself not because she didn't mean it but because she did but hadn't known until then.

Slb slb slb

"Maybe if you'd actually come up here and packed when you said you were going to you wouldn't be having so much trouble now," James told Sirius as his friend scrambled to pack late into the night.

"Shove it, Prongs," Sirius barked. "You know you could help." It was directed at anyone in the room who cared to hear it. James, Remus and Allison continued with their game of exploding snaps on James's bed.

"No. I think we're good," Remus told him. "We packed days ago."

"Yes, but-" Sirius was cut off by a knock on the door. "Oh!" he called. "I'll get it."

"No," Allison answered, wondering for a moment if he had attention deficit disorder. "I'll get it." She crossed the floor and slowly pulled the door open, peaking out to see who it was. "Lily?" she asked pulling the door open wide.

James jumped up from the bed. "Hi Lily. What are you doing here?"

Lily didn't answer. She simply walked across the room to James, pushed him against the closest wall and kissed him.

Allison's eyes grew wide.

"Why so shocked?" Sirius asked. "You told her to stake her claim."

"I never thought she'd go that far," Allison told him, still staring.

James was so shocked that he stood stock still against the wall. He didn't put his arms around her waist, didn't stroke her hair, didn't even close his eyes. They were starting to wonder if he was even kissing her back. A moment later Lily pulled away staring at James for some kind of response. Still, he did nothing.

Hanging her head, Lily walked out of the room. "Guess I waited too long to stake my claim," Lily mumbled to Remus and Allison on her way out of the room.

"James!" Sirius yelled once Lily shut the door behind her. "Snap out of it, mate!"

"Did that really just happen?" James asked blinking off her daze.

"It did," Sirius confirmed. "But it may never happen again if you don't go find her now!"

"Shit!" James yelled already sprinting for the door.

The other three occupants of the room followed on his heels. Down the stairs and into the common room James caught up to Lily just as she was turning to the girls' dormitory stairs. Grabbing her elbow, James spun Lily around. Before she could protest, James's lips crashed down on hers.

The common room was silent until Sirius caught up to him and let out a loud wolf whistle! "Alright, Prongs!" he yelled before Allison caught up to him and elbowed him in the stomach to shut him up.

a/n: Yes I know I aged Tonks for this but it's creative license so if you don't like it too bad. You know the drill: 3 reviews & I'll try to post the next chapter Sunday. Too busy to write tomorrow!

BeyondRubies, I love the constructive criticism and I will try to work on that. Thank you for the input!


	16. Chapter 16

"We're going home! We're going home! We're going home! And it's !" Sirius sang as he danced around their compartment on the Hogwarts Express.

"She kissed me! She likes me! She's going to visit for a day over break!" James was saying to himself. "Maybe by the time we get back to school she'll be my girlfriend!"

Allison stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed. They'd been going on like this for the entire train ride. She'd attempted to read at first but Sirius kept grabbing the books from her hands and charming them to dance around with him. They were now only half an hour from King's Cross Station in London. "Are they always like this?" she groaned turning to Remus.

"It's usually worse actually. Usually it's both of them…except they change it for each break: Easter, Summer," he answered, not even looking up from his book.

"I'm going to get Sev."

It was the exact wrong move. As soon as her butt left the bench Sirius had her in his arms twirling her around the room. "Sing with me, Love! We're going home! We're going home! We're going home! And it's !"

"Um, no."

"But-"

"No."

"I just want-"

"Me to go find Sev so we can get home as soon as the train arrives?"

"That's not what I was going to say at all," Sirius protested.

"But it's what I'm going to do."

"But this is so much more fun," he told her continuing to twirl.

"I'm getting dizzy!"

In all the commotion they didn't hear the door to their compartment sliding open.

"Hello?" Severus asked staring around the room.

"You get used to it," Remus told him, still not looking up from his book. Sirius continued to dance while James continued talking to himself.

"Help me!" Allison pleaded, her face turning green.

The train was slowing. Sirius stopped twirling and leaned toward Allison. "Maybe not," he changed his mind seeing the green grow brighter. "Thanks for the dance, Love." He left her to collect both of their trunks just as the train pulled to a stop.

Severus and Allison allowed the Marauders to exit the compartment in front of them though Sirius protested. "Compartment to ourselves for Easter," Severus stage whispered.

Turning to him with wide eyes, Allison nodded enthusiastically.

Elizabeth Potter was waiting for them as soon as they got off of the train. "Hello dears!" she called. "Oh, I've missed you all so much!" She opened her arms to hug each of her 'children.' Sirius was first with a kiss on the cheek, then Remus. James distractedly hugged her while looking for Lily. When he released her she was giving him an odd look. Allison came next with a tight squeeze. The whole time Severus stood back watching. "Don't think you're getting off that easy, dear. Come here and give me my hug."

Severus obliged, smiling lopsidedly. "Thank you for having me, Mrs. Potter."

"Oh how many times do I have to tell you children: it's Elizabeth. And we're happy to have you. Now, off we go! Reg and Harold are waiting for dinner."

"But, Mum," James began to protest but saw Lily walking following her parents through the barrier. "Never mind."

They walked together to the far wall where many fireplaces were lined up for witches and wizards to floo home.

"Do you know what's going on with my son?" Elizabeth whispered to Allison and Sirius as she watched her son walking toward a fireplace in a daze.

"The lovely Lily has come to her senses," Sirius told her. "She will be spending a day in Godric's Hollow over break."

"Oh, splendid! I can't wait to meet the dear girl!"

Slb slb slb

Allison loved her room. I looked very similar to the room she grew up in at the Granger's house. There was a queen sized, oak framed canopy bed with pale blue silk wrapped around the posts and top railing. The down comforted was yellow with pillows of all colors. A large dresser sat in the middle of the opposite wall made of the same wood as the bed. The floor was varnished wood with a rug the same color as the silk on the bed frame and the walls were painted a sunny yellow. There was a plush couch and a chair that looked as though she could sink right into it under the skylight in the far corner.

The house itself was quite large, though smaller than Allison thought it would be. There was a large, open sitting room, a formal dining room, and a large kitchen with breakfast table downstairs, along with Harold and Elizabeth's bedroom and two bathrooms. The second floor was all bedrooms and bathrooms. There were six bedrooms all on the back wall and four bathrooms on the front. Allison was at one far end with her own bathroom just across the hall. Next to Allison's room was James, then Sirius, Remus, Regulus in Peter's old room and Severus was in the guest room at the other far end with the guest bath across from him. Of the other boys each was to share a bathroom. The stairs opened into a large room lined with pictures, games, and brooms on the walls. It had been James's playroom as a child.

"This house just keeps getting more and more crowded," Harold commented as they sat for dinner. "Allie, Severus, I hope you find your rooms suitable?"

"It's great," Allison answered. "Just like home."

"That's wonderful, dear," Elizabeth replied. "Severus, is your room to your comfort?"

"Yes," he told her. "It's very nice. Thank you." Nice was an understatement though. No one had ever gone this far out of their way for him in his life. When he was away at school his mum usually used his room for storage and never had things cleared out before he returned. The Blacks usually just put him up in one of their many guest rooms with décor that reminded him very much of an art gallery. He always felt as though he shouldn't touch anything in that house. Here it was all very comfortable.

"Mum and Dad gave Remus, Sirius, and…Remus and Sirius their own rooms during second year, they spent so much time here anyway," James explained as the teens made their way back upstairs after dinner. "How are you liking it here, Reg?"

"It's great!" Regulus raved. "Mother and Father were so stuffy. They had a million rules for everything. It was like you couldn't breathe in that house without getting into trouble. Here it's so comfortable and your parents actually want us around. They don't just put up with us. I do wish I had some friends my age around though."

Allison excused herself as the boys all settled in for a game of exploding snaps. She gathered her bathroom for a shower before bed. Just as she removed her shirt to step into the hot jets of the shower the door opened.

"Hey, Allie-" Sirius stopped immediately upon hearing her shriek. "I'm so sorry," he apologized while closing the door.

a/n: I'll be posting 2 chapters today in the hopes that you'll forgive me if I don't update for a few days. But you should still review because it makes me smile…and want to update faster.


	17. Chapter 17

Allison had been shaken. She considered just throwing her clothes back on and running to her bedroom but she felt grimy from the day's travels. After securely locking the door with both the muggle and wizard methods she stepped into the steaming shower, emerging forty five minutes later and only after she started to prune.

Throwing on her robe she opened the door and stepped out into the hall. The house was unusually quiet considering its inhabitants. She leisurely crossed the hall and turned the knob to enter her room where, to her surprise, five excited teenaged boys sat awaiting her arrival. "Um, hello," she greeting feeling absolutely indecent in nothing but a knee length terrycloth robe.

"What's on your shoulder?" James asked, curious.

"At the moment a robe," Allison replied, feeling quite stupid in her rush for a soothing hot shower to forget that Sirius had seen more than her jeans and bra clad backside earlier.

"No," Sirius shook his head. "Nuh uh! No! There's a tattoo on there! A magical tattoo of a phoenix. It was breathing steadily like it was asleep!"

"It's just a tattoo," Allison defended. "I got it as a stupid act of rebellion before I went to Hogwarts."

"You're lying to us, Allie!" James protested. "I've seen that tattoo before! My father has the same one! I know what it means, too! It's the symbol of the Order of the Phoenix. It's what you use to call each other! I saw you flinching when your father hugged you goodbye on your first night at Hogwarts! That's why!"

"I saw something too!" Sirius told the group. "On that first Hogsmeade trip when we went ahead of everyone else to meet Mum! She hugged you, you flinched, she said something like 'already? Things must be bad there.' And you told her she had no idea. Where's there Alllie? Where are things so bad that they'd let at seventeen year old sixth year into the Order of the Phoenix?"

Someone cleared their throat from behind them drawing their attention to the open door. "I think it's time to tell them, Allie," Harold Potter suggested from the door.

Allison nodded before turning back to the group as Harold, Elizabeth, and her father joined them. "My name is Hermione Allison Moody," she told them immediately being cut off by James.

"We already know that."

"But what you don't know," she continued, "is that I grew up, at least the second time, as Hermione Jean Granger. And that I'm not from this time."

There was silence for a long time, allowing her to walk to her Hogwarts trunk and pulled out a yellowed piece of parchment. Coming back to the group she presented it to James and Sirius who immediately snatched it from her hands and began to read its contents with three other boys eagerly reading over their shoulders.

"You see," Allison told them once she had their attention again, "I lived one lifetime growing up in my father's home, playing with James, becoming friends with the Marauders and Lily when I went to Hogwarts and slowly watching all of you die." As she said it, memories from another lifetime seemed to flow through her mind as though they were playing on a movie screen. "Sirius and I were thirty six when he died in 1996 and that's when I finally convince my father and Professor Dumbledore to allow me to go back in time to my own birth. They came along and—this is where things start to get confusing—together we convince my mother and younger father to allow me to be adopted in a different time and grow up as a muggle-born. Within a day of my birth they took me to 1979 and I was adopted by the Grangers." She paused for a moment to take a breath then turned to James. "James I started Hogwarts in 1990 with your son, Harry. I was able to see how horrible things will be. They are so much worse than they are now. So bad so that on the night that I witnessed Sirius die for the second time, the Order informed me, Harry, the Weasley's two youngest children, and two of our other classmates that on our seventeenth birthdays, regardless of whether we'd graduated Hogwarts or not, we would have the option of being admitted into the Order of the Phoenix. On my seventeenth birthday I was admitted into the Order, and then I learned the truth about myself and came back. I'm here because I know what's going to happen to each of you and I'm going to stop it."

When Allison quit talking there was silence for nearly ten minutes. Finally James spoke up. "That seems a little far-fetched don't you think?" he asked everyone else in the room. He was met with nods from the other boys.

"But true," Moody told them before turning to Elizabeth. "Do you still have that pensieve?"

"I'll go get it now."

"I'll call Dumbledore. There might be clues in her memories that she's overlooking. Allie, get dressed and meet us in the sitting room. Boys, get out."

Slb slb slb

As Allison walked down the stairs she could hear the commotion below. Dumbledore had arrived, along with Arthur Weasley. Entering the room, she immediately took a seat next to Sirius who was unusually quiet. "Moody and Dumbledore showed up their memories while you were gone," he told her. "We were married. That's why you went back the first time after my death. Why you wanted to change things. Why'd you come back here though? After growing up in that time with those people?"

"Harry's my best mate," she answered immediately. "I'd do anything to see him happy and with people who love him, but I also couldn't bear to see Remus hurting and you suffering as much as you did then dying so horribly. You were my friend then too, Sirius. And I loved you in my own way."

"Allison," Professor Dumbledore called the attention of the room. "It's your turn."

a/n: This is a short one, I know. I hope it cleared things up on how and why Hermione went forward then back in time. The next chapter (or two or three) should be longer. They should also take a little longer to post. Huge tests this week to study for and a lot of details to write. Keep reviewing and I'll work more diligently at it.


	18. Chapter 18

a/n: Warning: If you are a HP BOOK snob don't read after this point. I will be mixing in bits and pieces from both the movies and the books in Hermione's memories. Sometimes the movie was just funnier. I'm sorry if this is an inconvenience to you. They may also be out of order. I put them in an order that works for me and I altered some but as this is fanfic it's really all altered. Enjoy.

Together ten people swirled in a mist of cold nothingness. Elizabeth Potter had stayed behind allowing her family and guests to go on without her. She wasn't quite sure she wanted to see what was going to happen but knew that if she changed her mind the opportunity would present itself again.

After only seconds objects started to materialize around them. The scene conveyed a feeling a calm joy to all of the viewers. They were in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. A red headed boy in worn clothes with dirt on his nose sat with a messy black haired boy who looked very small for his age wearing clothes that were at least five sizes too big. They were stuffing their mouths full of chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean when the door slid open and a petite girl with bushy brown hair and very large teeth stepped in.

"Have either of you seen a toad?" she asked all business. "A boy named Neville's lost him." That's when she looked up at the original occupants of the compartment. "Holy cricket!" she gasped. "You're Harry Potter!" James gasped. "I'm Hermione Granger." She turned to the red-head, "And you are?"

"Ron Weasley," the boy answered through a mouth full of chocolate.

Arthur mumbled something about having to teach that one better manners just as the young Hermione's nose crinkled. "Charmed," she told him. "Well," all business again, "you two had better be getting changed I expect we'll be arriving soon."

The compartment de-materialized in front of their eyes and they were swirling through the mist again. Now they were in a girl's loo. It was being destroyed by a large troll as the young Hermione screamed hiding under a sink. Suddenly the door closed and latched from the outside causing her to scream louder. The viewers could all feel her anxiety.

"Oh, no, Ron! Hermione must still be in there!" they heard someone call from the other side of the door.

"Bloody hell! Do we have to go in there?" they heard even as the door was being unlocked and pulled open.

"She wouldn't be in here if you hadn't made her cry!"

Hermione looked frantically from the troll to the boys and back to the troll as Sirius stepped in front of Allison slightly as though trying to protect her.

"Hey troll!" Harry suddenly yelled, distracting the troll from crushing the sink Hermione was hiding under long enough for her to press herself into a corner but it wasn't deterred long and soon the large creature was crushing the sinks and heading for the wall. That's when Harry started running. He jumped onto the trolls back, trying to wrestle it into submission.

"What the hell is he doing?" James asked to no one in particular.

After a moment the of trying to swing the small boy off of him the troll simply reached behind him and grabbed Harry by the leg, holding him in front of his face and staring quizzically for a moment. Then he started swinging his massive club at the child. Harry was skillfully dodging each blow while screaming for Ron's help.

"What do I do?" the redhead asked.

"Anything!" Harry yelled in response.

"Swish and flick," Hermione told him.

Ron said the charm, "Wingardium Leviosa," and with a swish and flick of his wrist the trolls club was floating high in the air. "Now what?" Ron asked, breaking his concentration. The club fell, knocking the troll out on its way to the floor.

"That works," Harry groaned as he pulled himself out from under the unconscious beast's massive arm.

"What on earth is going on here?" Professor McGonagall screeched as she arrived on the scene.

"It was my fault, Professor," the small girl lied for her new friends and the room faded away again.

"Why…what…I…" James stuttered before finally settling on, "Mine," with a mixture of wonder and pride in his eyes.

As the next scene materialized around them, Allison wondered if his feelings would soon be changing. They were in the Gryffindor common room with a blazing fire warming them. A mass of messy black hair barely peaked over the back of the couch while a brown bush seemed to be growing from a nearby chair. A feeling of sorrow, even depression, hung in the air.

"It just bothers me sometimes, you know, 'Mione?" a boy asked.

"What does Harry?" the girl answered as the viewers all made their way around the couch for a better view. Seeing the boys' tears, though, they felt like intruders for the first time.

"I'm supposed to be this big hero to people. 'The Boy Who Lived.' And I feel like a big disappointment. Look at me! I'm smaller than any other boy here. I know barely any magic. Snape hates me for some reason. I don't even know anything about myself. Everyone here seems to know more about me than I do. Even you and you're muggle-born."

"You're not a disappointment, Harry," the girl argued. "You're kind, generous, talented, and so brave. I'd have been squashed by a troll on Halloween if it hadn't been for you. Merlin knows Ron never would've come looking for me on his own! You're the youngest quidditch player in a century."

"Sometime I wonder if they'd be proud of me," he whispered.

"I don't see how they couldn't be!"

"Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon say I'm a waste of space. Maybe they'd feel the same way."

"You're wrong, Harry, and so are your aunt and uncle. Your parents would be so proud of you. I'm sure of it."

James turned to Allison, "Why are you two talking about me like I'm dead?" The look on her face was answer enough.

Just then the portrait hole swung open and a pudgy mouse haired boy hopped in. "Phew," he sighed. "I made it! Harry, Hermione, what are you two doing up still?"

"Just talking," Hermione lied easily. "What were you doing out?"

"I didn't mean to be," the boy told them. "I was on my way back from the library when Malfoy found me. He hit me with a leg locking curse, said he's been looking for someone to try it out on for weeks. It's taken me this long to hop all the way back here. 'Mione, do you think you could help, please?"

She quickly obliged, performing the counter curse. "You should go to Professor McGonagall," she told him plainly.

"I don't want any more trouble. He'll just get worse if I go to the professors," the pudgy boy protested.

"You've got to learn to stand up for yourself, mate," Harry offered.

"You don't have to remind me that I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor," the boy pouted, looking ready to cry. "Malfoy's already done as much!"

"That isn't what I meant Neville," Harry soothed, tossing the boy the last of the chocolate frogs from the large pile he and Hermione had been eating. "I think you're worth twelve of Malfoy! The sorting hat picked you for Gryffindor and stuck that git in stinking Slytherin!"

"Thanks, Harry," the boy they now knew as Neville replied with a small smile. "Do you want the card? You collect them right?"

Harry took the card as Neville went up the stairs to bed. "Dumbledore. He was my very first you know?" he told Hermione while scanning the card. "Nicolas Flammel," he read in a hushed tone as a large smile grew on his face.

The now familiar swirls were consuming them once again and then taking the form of a place the Marauders had been too often, Professor McGonagall's office.

"But, Professor, we need to see him today," Harry pleaded with the older woman.

"I'm afraid that's impossible, Mr. Potter. Professor Dumbledore has been called away on urgent business to the Ministry. Perhaps there is something that I can help you with?"

Hermione looked nervous about something.

"Snape's trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone!" Harry blurted out. All of the viewers turned to the Severus who stared on wide-eyed.

"Professor Snape," she began, stressing the word professor, "is a Hogwarts teacher. His loyalties lie with the school or else he never would have been hired. I'm not sure where you learned of the stone or its presence in the castle but I suggest you forget about it and be more careful of who you accuse in the future."

Harry, Hermione and Ron sulked out of the room. "If she won't help, we'll have to go ourselves," Harry whispered as they walked down the hall. "It's no coincidence that Dumbledore's been called away tonight. Snape's going after that stone."

"What do we do?" Ron asked.

"We stop him," Hermione told him, earning her wide-eyed stares from her friends.

"Oi, Ron!" an older redhead called from behind them. "It's almost curfew!"

"I'll get my cloak," Harry whispered.

Now they were in a dark room where a three headed dog lay sleeping. "Looks like one of Hagrid's pets," Sirius commented offhandedly.

"He is," Allison told him with a look of disgust on her face. "He named the thing Fluffy."

"Does it seem quiet to you?" Harry asked drawing everyone's attention.

"The music stopped," Ron, who was holding open a trap door, told them. "Go! Go now!" The three adolescents dove into the door, landing in a tangled black thing that seemed intent on strangling them.

As if someone had hit fast forward they zoomed through the scenes in this room and the next two, getting the basic idea of what happened until they were all standing on the side lines of a giant chess board.

"NO!" Harry and Hermione were yelling.

"It's the only way!" Ron told them. "Do you want to stop Snape of not? Now when I get taken, Harry, you move three squares to your left. That'll win the game. Don't wait around for me." With that, Ron commanded his night to move and was soon knocked from the stone horse by the queen and drug to the side.

Harry won the game before turning to Hermione. "Get him to Madame Pomfrey. I'll see you soon."

Hermione ran to Harry and threw her arms around his neck. "You're a great wizard Harry."

Again they were zooming through the scenes of her memories until, watching Hermione sit in the hospital wing they saw a sun rise and then set before Harry, who was lying in the bed next to Ron's with Hermione sitting between them, finally stirred. Hermione and Ron both climbed onto Harry's bed as he explained what happened after he left them.

"It was Quirrell?" the two asked in awed voices. "But-"

"He said Snape would be the perfect cover. No one would suspect him with Snape around but Snape was actually trying to protect me the whole time."

And again the scene was consumed by the swirling mist. Once again a feeling of pure joy, even excitement overtook the group as Diagon Alley appeared around them. They were standing in the middle of a crowded street just in front of Gringott's Bank.

"Harry! Harry!" they heard Hermione yell before they actually saw the small girl running down the stairs. "Hagrid! Oh how I've missed you both!" she exclaimed, wrapping Harry in a hug and attempting to fit her miniscule arms around Hagrid.

"Mione!" Hagrid greeted. "Trust yeh've enjoyed yer break!"

"Brilliant," she told them as she pulled them up the stairs. "Mum and I just got back from a holiday in Italy! Mum, Dad," she said when they were close to the top of the stairs. "This is my friend Harry that I've been telling you about. And this is Hagrid. He works at the school. These are my parents, Jean and Henry."

Hagrid shook hands with Hermione's parents. "It's so lovely to meet you both. 'Mione's told us all about you," Jean greeted with a genuine smile.

Just then a gaggle of red heads came up the street, joining the group already in front of the bank. "I best be off. Business to see to," Hagrid told them before taking his leave. The rest went together into the bank.

"We only need to exchange," Henry told Mr. Weasley as the other man was being lead behind the counter by a goblin, "but we'll wait for you lot. I know 'Mione was looking forward to spending the day with the boys."

They were swirling through the mist again but only for a few moments before Flourish and Blotts formed around them. A huge crowd was cheering and clapping while Harry stood at the front with a blond man in blue robes with a sparkling smile. Harry was less than enthused to be up there.

"Is that Gilderoy Lockhart?" the five teen boys asked in unison.

"You know him?" Allison asked in return.

"He graduated a few years ago. Total git," James answered.

Harry was now stepping away from Lockhart carrying a large stack of books walking toward the Weasley children and Hermione. Dumping the books in the small redhead girl's cauldron he told her, "You have these, Ginny. I'll buy my own."

"You must've loved that, Potter!" a blond boy sneered behind him. "Famous Harry Potter!"

"Leave him alone," Ginny told the blond, glaring. "He didn't want all that!"

"Oh, Potter's got himself a little Weasley girlfriend!" This got the attention of the four redheaded boys they were with. "Your parents must have to go hungry for a month to pay for all this."

Ron dropped his own books and started toward Malfoy but was restrained by his friends and older brothers just as a tall blond man in holding a long cane with a snake head for a handle came up behind the blond boy.

"Now, now, Draco," the blond man, who everyone recognized as Lucius Malfoy, told his son, "play nice." That's when he seemed to notice Harry standing in front of his son. "Mr. Potter?" He extended his hand. "Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last." Harry took the offered hand and was immediately pulled toward the older man who used the handle of his cane to push the hair from Harry's forehead. "Forgive me. Your scar is legend. As is the wizard who gave it to you."

A stern look took over Harry's features as he pushed away from the man. "Voldemort killed my parents. He was nothing more than a murderer."

"You must be very brave to mention his name," Lucius countered. "Or possibly very foolish."

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," Hermione told the man, stepping out from behind Harry.

"You must be Hermione Granger," Lucius said, sneering at the girl.

Sirius growled stepping forward but was stopped by Allison who grabbed his hand telling him, "It's not really happening."

"Draco's told me all about you. And those are your parents?" Lucius continued pointed with his cane to where the Grangers and Weasleys stood at the register. "Muggles correct? Leave it to a Weasley to disgrace the name of wizard by associating with that lot."

"We have a different idea..." one of the redheaded twins began.

"…of what disgraces the name of wizard," the other finished.

The scene ended. Now they were in the halls of Hogwarts.

"Listen!" Harry was telling Ron and Hermione but they didn't seem to hear anything. "This way," he shouted as they all began running about Harry.

"Harry, what're we-" Ron tried to asked but was interrupted by Harry.

"SHHH!" They were all quiet for a moment then, "It's going to kill someone!" He raced down the second floor corridor and around a corner.

"Harry, what is this all about? We can't hear any-"

This time Ron was cut off by Hermione who gasped and pointed, "Look!"

On the wall there was something written in what looked like blood: THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE!

"What's that thing hanging underneath?" Ron asked pointing at…a cat?

"What's going on here?" the heard the voice of Filch calling down the hall as Harry stepped closer to see if the cat was still breathing. It was Mrs. Norris. "My cat!" Filch screeched as he made it around the corner. "You!" he pointed at Harry. "You've murdered my cat! I'll kill you!" he lunged but was stopped by Hagrid.

Consumed by the mist again the scene disappeared, replaced moments later by the Great Hall, cleared of chairs and tables. The visitors pushed their way to the front of a large crowd of on-lookers as they heard Lockhart yell, "I said disarm only!"

Once at the front of the group the viewers saw Harry and Draco dueling, surrounded by most of the school and a few professors. "What's going on?" Remus asked.

"Dueling club," Allison answered quickly. "There were more attacks like the one on Mrs. Norris, only they were on students, so the school started a dueling club."

"Serpensortia!" Malfoy yelled and a giant snake erupted from the tip of his wand.

"Don't move, Potter," a large man with greasy black hair, a hook nose and billowing black robes yelled. "I'll get rid of it…"

But before he could, Lockhart intervened. "Allow me!" With a wave of his wand Lockhart sent the snake flying into the air. It landed hard and enraged in front of a small Hufflepuff boy whom it immediately turned on.

The room was quiet, stunned. Finally Harry spoke or rather hissed. The snake slumped to the floor and Harry looked at the boy smiling.

"What are you playing at?" the boy yelled before storming out of the room, followed by many of his housemates.

Ron appeared at Harry's side. "Come on, mate." When Harry didn't move Ron grabbed him by the arm turning him toward the door. "Move!"

"We're not parselmouths," Harold Potter told them as the room swirled into nothingness. "How is he a parselmouth? It's supposed to be hereditary and you told us his mother was muggle-born."

"I also told you, sir, that when Voldemort couldn't kill him he accidentally transferred some of his powers to him."

"Voldemort tried to kill my son!" James snapped.

"Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said, the normal twinkle vacant from his eye, "Voldemort killed you and your wife."

By now the next scene had taken form around them.

"Perfect quidditch conditions," they heard a Scottish brogue call through the corridor. "We'll win this one for sure."

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and the boy they now knew as Neville were walking down the hall with a large group of Gryffindors. Seven of them, including Harry were wearing quidditch robes.

"Yes, conditions will win it for us," one of the Weasley twins ("That's George," Allison whispered to Mr. Weasley.).

"It wouldn't have anything at all to do with them being dead scared that Harry'll petrify them if they fly anywhere near them!" the other twin joked. ("He's Fred.")

"I hear it again," Harry whispered to his best mates.

"Oh, I've just understood!" Hermione squealed, pulling away from the group.

"Mione, where are you going? You'll miss the game!" Ron yelled over the noise.

"I'll be there! I need to go to the library, first. I think I know what's happening!"

The scene blurred slightly as Hermione ran through the halls, toward the library. She found the book she needed right away and searched through it for the right text. Slamming the book closed, Hermione jumped from her chair while pulling a small hand-held mirror from her robe pocket.

"Penelope," she called to a girl who was also leaving the library, "Stop!"

"Hermione Granger?" the girl asked turning around. She looked spooked. "What's wrong?"

"I know what the monster is. It's a basilisk! It can kill by looking you in the eye."

"What do we do then?"

"We'll use this," she held the mirror up, "to look around corners."

The older girl nodded, following Hermione in looking around corners. For two floors they were safe until a slimy serpentine eye appeared in the mirror. Everything went black.

Nine pairs of stunned eyes turned to look at Allison. "Yes, well," she mumbled, "it definitely wasn't my best year."

As they spoke the Gryffindor common room slowly began to take form around them.

"Hermione!" a girl yelled, gaining the attention of everyone in the common room. The word wasn't even out of the girl's mouth before Harry had jumped to his feet racing toward Hermione who'd just come in through the portrait hole. The force of his hug was so strong that it lifted Hermione off her feet and he spun her through the air.

Harry mumbled something in her mass of bushy brown curls to which Hermione replied "It's good to be back," with a smile so large she couldn't keep her eyes open.

The Weasley children were fast on Harry's heels. "Mione!" the twins yelled together pulling her out of Harry's arm and squashing her between them in a tightly sandwiched bear hug.

Ron stood sheepishly behind them, extending a hand to shake once his brothers had released his friend. Ginny stood behind them all, looking bashful and slightly ashamed.

"So who was the Heir?" Hermione finally asked causing the room to go deathly silent. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"She didn't mean to 'Mione," a twin told her. ("George.")

"It was Riddle," Harry continued. "He used the diary to possess her."

"Who?"

"It was me," Ginny answered with tears in her eyes. "I thought it was just a diary, I swear. I thought Mum got it for me as a surprise. But when I realized what it was I tried to get rid of it. I did. I flushed it but it didn't work. I'm so sorry, 'Mione!"

Hermione gently wrapped her arms around the redheaded girl who continued to cry on her shoulder. "It's okay," Hermione told the girl. "I know you'd never do something like that by choice."

That easily, the atmosphere in the common room changed. People were smiling and talking again. As if out of nowhere, the Weasley twins pulled the out Zonkos bags and butter beers.

Allison took a place in front of the group. "Before we go any further it's important you all understand," she told them looking directly at Remus, "that a lot of very important secrets of some of you were revealed during my third year. It's up to you if everyone gets to continue."

a/n: This took forever so I'd better get some reviews for my hard work! Hope you enjoyed. Now scroll down a little further and hit that lovely little "review" button!


	19. Chapter 19

Remus squirmed uncomfortably. "I…um…"

"We're all friends here, mate," James told him. "Well at least those that don't already know about it are friends," he continued, looking at Professor Dumbledore and Moody.

"Um," Regulus said, clearing his throat, "I actually know already." Remus's eyes flashed as he turned toward Reg.

"What?"

"Mother and Father used to have Death Eater meetings at the house. I overheard Pettigrew telling them once."

Remus nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable, before turning to Severus.

"I actually think I know already also," Severus told him as the Leaky Cauldron began to form around them.

"You think you know?" James asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The full moon thing?" Severus asked. "Yeah, I think I know."

"It's not just that," Allison warned. "It's not just Remus's secrets," she said looking between James and Sirius.

"Why, whatever do you mean, love?" Sirius charmed.

"Sirius, or should I say Snuffles (Sirius choked on his own spit.) I've know you for two and a half years. Hell, I've lived in your house! Don't try to lie to me."

"Lived in my…" Sirius began but trailed off as the scene developed around them. He was staring at something on the wall.

"Pads, man, what's up?" James asked noticing his friend's distraction.

Sirius only waved him off. "I want to see everything," he demanded.

"Um, ok," James agreed. "Show us everything."

Allison nodded her agreement just as three sets of feet started walking down the creaking staircase.

"You have to be more careful, Harry," they heard Hermione nagging as the ends of her now much less bushy hair began to appear as the three friends made their way down the stairs.

"Well, mate, I thought it was brilliant," Ron argued, earning him an eye roll from Hermione.

"Thanks, Ron," Harry told him as he pulled a chair away from the dusty table allowing Hermione to sit. "But I didn't do it on purpose," he attempted to reason with Hermione. "She was just telling all of those lies and insulting my parents. I got upset. It's not like I wanted to inflate Marge." Try as he may, Harry couldn't cover up his laughter as he finished his statement.

"Well, you're just lucky you weren't expelled," Hermione told him, ending that subject. "Now, tell us about the dog."

Harry's eyes grew large and his hand instinctively went to his scar. "He was huge and black with gleaming eyes and sharp teeth," he told her. "His hair was pretty mangy, though. It looked like he hadn't eaten in a while."

"I doubt it was a wizard, Harry," Hermione told her. "It was probably just a hungry stray."

"A mean stray," Harry mumbled.

"Oh, mate!" Ron interrupted the tension with an excited smile, pulling a battered newspaper cut out from his pocket. It was folded and unfolded so many times holes were wearing in the corners. "We went to Africa this summer to visit my brother Bill." He thrust the newspaper clipping into Harry's hands.

Harry barely had a chance to glance at the paper before it was pulled out of his hands by Fred. "Not flashing that article around again are you, Ron?"

"Give him some credit, Fred," George defended. "Remember when he saw 'Mione in Diagon Alley yesterday? Pulling the paper from his pocket and unfolding it as he ran up to her. Shoved the thing in her face before he even said hello!" he told Harry as everyone else laughed at Ron's tomato colored cheeks.

"Harry, can I speak with you?" Mr. Weasley asked, interrupting the friends' laughter.

"Of course, sir."

The room started to fade away around them but Sirius remained staring at the same spot on the wall long after it had disappeared. Allison noticed this, though no one else seemed to. Slowly she made her way toward him, placing her hand in his. "It's not what it seems, Sirius," she whispered. "In fact, it's not going to happen at all."

"Who did I…" he began to ask but couldn't finish the question.

"You didn't!"

"He didn't what?" James asked but was soon cut off by the scene that had formed around them.

They were once again onboard the Hogwarts Express, this time standing in the middle of the long corridor next to the open door to a compartment where a solitary man slumped against the window sleeping.

"You?" Ron asked as he, Harry and Hermione made their way toward the group. "Sirius Black escaped Azkaban Prison to attack you?"

Eight pairs of eyes watched Sirius who protested. "No! I wouldn't! James, know I would never! I couldn't."

"You didn't!" Allison reminded him. "Just keep watching!"

"That's what your dad said," Harry confirmed as the three made their way into the near empty compartment.

"Who do you suppose that is?" Ron asked, nudging his head in the direction of the sleeping form.

"Professor R.J. Lupin," Hermione answered in her know-it-all voice.

"You know everything!" Ron raved. "How is it that you know everything?"

"It's on his luggage, Ronald," Hermione answered, exasperated, as she pushed her trunk under the bench and took her seat. Turning to Harry she continued, "You'll have to be very careful this year, Harry! Don't go looking for trouble!"

"I've never gone looking for trouble, Hermione," Harry corrected. "It just always seems to find us. You should know by now."

"Besides," Ron defended his friend, "he'd have to be a total nutter to go looking for a lunatic like Black. Harry isn't that thick!"

"Um, thanks Ron," Harry told him, laughing.

Soon the three friends were discussing the upcoming term and previous summer in excited whispers so as not to disturb the fourth member of their compartment.

The scene fast forwarded around them, giving Remus time to ask Allison a question. "What do I teach?" he asked with wonder in his eyes, seemingly forgetting that his deepest secret would soon be revealed.

"Defense," Allison answered with a small smile. "Best defense teacher I had in all my time there."

"Don't let that thing out in here!" Ron yelled, regaining everyone's attention, as Hermione unlatched a pet carrier.

"He needs to stretch," she defended. "Be quiet!" she adding pointing at the sleeping Professor Lupin.

"That cat's a menace," Ron hissed as something in his shirt pocket began to shake.

The fat, orange ball of fur noticed this and pounced but was kicked mid-air by Ron. Everyone watched as the thing in his pocket began to appear, climbing up from his chest onto his head then jumping to the nearest trunk on a rack above his head. Something made a loud pitched squealing noise above them as the cat stretch himself across Hermione's lap.

"What's that?" she asked glaring at Ron while he stood to open his trunk.

"Pocket sneak-o-scope," he answered, tossing a small flashing ball to Harry. "Tried to send it to you for your birthday, mate, but the bleeding thing wouldn't shut up. It's supposed to light up and squeal when someone's doing something untrustworthy. 'Spect it's broken."

Harry was now busy with his own trunk, stuffing the flashing ball into an once-white sock with holes in the toes that looked twice the size of Harry's foot. That only muted the squealing slightly so Harry threw the sock into his trunk and closed the top, silencing it more completely. "Thanks, Ron."

The scene sped up again around them. Daylight was fading and the three friends' anger seemed to fade with it. As the scene slowed, the train seemed to slow with it.

"Splendid!" Ron announced, standing. "We're here and I'm starving!"

"We can't be there yet," Hermione corrected, looking toward the window. "I can't see the castle's astronomy tower yet. You can see the tower from this side of the train when it's pulling into Hogsmeade station."

During Hermione's speech, Ron made his way toward the window, looking for the tower. "There's something moving out there," he said, turning wide eyed to his friends.

"What do you suppose it is?" Harry asked as the compartment went dark.

Lupin began to stir as the compartment door slid open. A hooded creature entered the compartment, passing through the onlookers.

"None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks," Lupin told the dementor as Allison's grip on Sirius's hand tightened. Lupin seemed to think that his statement would satisfy the dementor and that it would go. He was wrong. The dementor took a deep rattling breath and everyone watched in horror as Harry fell to the floor, shaking.

"What the hell is that thing doing to him?" James asked, frantic. "What's wrong? You didn't do that in the classroom!"

"That was a boggart, James," Allison attempted to soothe. "This is a dementor. A real one."

Lupin stood and pointed his wand as the scene started to dissolve again. Now they were outside on the Hogwarts grounds. A giggling sea of red and gold was followed closely by a sneering could of silver and green.

"God this place has gone to the dogs," a smug blond boy, the one the recognized as Draco Malfoy from the book store, was mumbling to his friends. "Just wait till my father hears about this! That oaf teaching classes."

"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry growled, turning toward Draco. The rest of Gryffindor seemed to stop and turn right along with him and soon the two houses were facing off.

Draco laughed and handed his bag to a large, ape-like boy next to him. He swaggered up to Harry with a smug look on his face but Harry refused to back down. Then a look of panic overtook Draco's features. "Dementor! Dementor!" he yelled pointing behind the Gryffindors.

The entire group turned, scared, in that direction only to see Hagrid emerging from behind the trees of the Dark Forrest. They turned back to see the Slytherins falling over each other laughing at them.

"Got a real treat for yeh today," Hagrid announced, diffusing the situation unwittingly. "Ta da!" he flourished his arms toward a creature with the body of a horse and the head, winds, and feathers of an eagle with long sharp talons protruding from his legs.

The entire class stepped backward in unison, leaving Harry standing alone at the front of the group. "What is that, Hagrid?"

"Why, it's a hippogriff of course," Hagrid answered Harry's question. "And thank you, Harry, for volunteering to come and say hello." Harry frantically looked behind him even as he stepped toward Hagrid who had started giving instructions about how to approach. Harry and the hippogriff were bowing toward each other now. "Good job, Harry. I suspect he'll let you ride him now."

"What's he doing?" James asked as he watched Hagrid lift his son from the ground.

The scene sped up around them as they watched Harry being lifted into the air on the back of the hippogriff. They watched as people talked excitedly around them and Hermione and Ron gazed into the air. Soon the hippogriff landed and Harry jumped off.

"Yes, not dangerous at all are you?" Draco sneered, swiftly approach the hippogriff as the Gryffindors rushed to Harry congratulating his. "Ugly thing-"

The hippogriff reared up on his hind legs and with a flash of the creature's sharp talons Draco was on the ground crying.

Once again the scene was consumed by swirling mist. When the next scene formed they were standing in the dungeons, in the middle of what they recognized as the potions classroom.

"Hey Harry," a messy, sandy-haired boy called from the next table.

"Hi Seamus. What's up?"

"Did you see the prophet this morning? They reckon they've spotted Sirius Black!"

"Where?" Ron asked.

"Not too far from here. It was a muggle woman who spotted him. Just one village over from Hogsmeade!"

"Thinking of trying to catch Black on your own Potter?" Draco sneered from behind them. "That's just like you! Harry Potter, always looking for more ways to be admired."

"Yeah," Harry unenthusiastically agree, "something like that."

"Can't really blame you this time, though," Draco continued as though he hadn't even heard Harry. "I wouldn't be in school right now if I were you! I'd have gone looking for him a long time ago!"

"What are you on about, Malfoy?" Harry snapped.

"Don't you know?" Draco asked, throwing a dramatic hand over his chest.

"Know what?" Hermione asked from the table on the other side of Harry.

"You probably just don't want to risk your neck, then," Malfoy continued. "Best to leave it to the dementors is it? I just know I'd want revenge!"

"He's just messing with you mate," Ron told Harry as the scene started to dissolve once again.

"There you go, mate," Ron said as he dumped a bag full of sweets into his friend's lap. "Honeydukes sweets. We got you as much as we could carry."

"What did you do today?" Hermione asked sitting across from the two boys in the great hall. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," Harry laughed. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office and we talked about the dementors. He told me that they make a person relive their worst experiences," his voice was getting quieter as he continued. "Thinks they affect me worse than anyone else because I have, um, 'real horrors' for them to feed off of."

"What did you relive?" Regulus asked Allison.

"You'll see. It happens at the end of my fifth year," she whispered.

"The dementors send their love, Potter!" they heard Draco yell across the hall as all of the students began standing and making their way out of the hall.

The ten visitors followed as the three friends made their way out of the hall and up the stairs only to stop in the corridor they recognized as leading to the Gryffindor common room. There was a large crowd blocking there way. The messy haired boy they now knew as Seamus was walking with a young black boy who towered over him. They were busy laughing and joking and didn't seem to notice that the traffic was at a standstill. The taller boy walked right into Harry's back.

"Oi! Sorry about that, mate," he told Harry as Hermione started a friendly conversation with Seamus.

"Don't worry about it, Dean," Harry replied.

"What's going on up there anyway?"

"Probably Neville's forgotten the password again," Ron joked.

"Hey!" Neville whined from somewhere behind the group.

"Huh, wonder what-"

But he was cut off by Ginny who was pushing through the crowd in the opposite direction, coming toward them. "The fat lady's gone!" she exclaimed when she finally made it to them through the crowd. Her canvas has been slashed, like by an animal or something!" They now saw Dumbledore running up the stairs followed closely by McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape. "The fat lady's gone, Professor," Ginny repeated to her head of house.

"We need to find her," Dumbledore started but was cut off by Peeves the Poltergeist who was bobbing over the crowd.

"You'll be lucky!" Peeves cackled.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

Peeves laughed louder. "She's ashamed. Doesn't want to be seen. Saw her running through paintings all over the castle trying to hide."

"Did she say anything?"

"Oh yes, sir!" Peeves answered in a mock concerned voice. "He got very angry when she truned him away, you see. Nasty temper he's got, Sirius Black."

The scene started to fade again as a collective gasp overtook the hall.

Only seconds later they were standing in the middle of Honeydukes. The small store was crowded with students as snow poured down outside of the windows. Hermione and Ron could be heard talking down one aisle and the onlookers turned down it to get a better look.

"…won't want one of those. I think they're for vampires," Hermione was saying as she browsed the self.

"What about these?" Ron suggested, holding up a jar of cockroach clusters.

"Definitely not," they heard Harry's voice but couldn't see him.

"Harry," Hermione hissed under her breath so they had to step in closer. "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to leave the grounds."

"Fred and George gave me this," he said, slipping a yellowed, intricately folded piece of parchment through the folds of his cloak.

The Marauders gasped at the sight of their map. "How did they get that?" Remus asked, puzzled.

"You got it confiscated by Filch your seventh year. Fred and George stole it from his office their first," Allison answered simply, staring at the spot where they now knew Harry stood.

"It's a map," Harry continued excitedly. "It shows every person and place on the school grounds, including passageways. You can see where anyone is at any time of the day. Some blokes named Moonie, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs made it. Brilliant!" James seemed to glow with pride by his son's simple statement.

"Those sneaks!" Ron exclaimed. "They never told me about any map!"

"Harry isn't going to keep it," Hermione insisted as the made their way to the register. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you Harry?"

"Next thing she's going to tell you to hand over your invisibility cloak," Ron muttered to his right.

"Over here, mate," they heard Harry say from Ron's left side. "And no, I'm not turning it in. I'll have to tell her where I got it and get Fred and George in trouble."

"But Harry," she pleaded as the exited the store, "think about Sirius Black. He's already been inside the castle! What if he finds it lying around. He could use it to find you! And what if he's using one of those passages? The professors need to know."

"Look at this," Ron said pointed to a sign that all nine male onlookers crowded around to see. "Dementors are patrolling here and on campus. Black would be mad to try to break into Honeydukes and sneak through to the school grounds."

They walked with what seemed to be two feet of empty space between Ron and Hermione as they argued back and forth.

"But he hasn't got a permission slip. And the dementors only patrol at night. As it's not nightfall yet Sirius Black could easily attack him here."

"Mione, it's Christmas! Give him a break!"

"Are you going to report me?" they heard Harry's solemn reply to his friend.

"Of course not," Hermione sighed as Ron held the door to a pub open for them.

"Three Broomsticks," he told Harry as they took their seats in a deserted corner booth where they weren't easily visible to the rest of the patrons. "I'll get us some butterbeers."

"Thanks, mate," Harry replied, pulling the cloak off of his head.

"Oh, no," Hermione moaned before levitating a Christmas tree to move right in front of the table. "McGonagall is here with the Minister of Magic!"

"And what would Sirius Black want with my pub?" Madam Rosemerta asked as she passed the table with her two new guests. Harry slipped the cloak back on.

The scene sped up around them again as Ron drank both his and Harry's butterbeers and Hermione only stared at the place she'd seen the Minister, McGonagall and Rosemerta pass through. The floor flew open and Rosemerta rushed to close it again as Hermione pushed Ron out of the booth and ran out the front door that had been flung open in front of her.

Hermione and Ron chased a set of footsteps that didn't seem to belong to a body until they reached the Shrieking Shack on the outskirts of town. Someone was sobbing.

Hermione stepped forward. Reaching out a hand, she pulled the invisibility cloak off of Harry who rounded on them with tears streaking down his face. "Harry?" she questioned.

"He was their friend!" Harry yelled. "He was their friend and he betrayed them! I hope he finds me and when he does I'm going to kill him!"

The scene blurred into nothing as Hermione wrapped her arms around him.

Once again they were on the Hogwarts grounds. Harry, Ron and Hermione were making their way toward Hagrid's hut on the edge of the forest when they came upon Malfoy and a group of Slytherins.

"Come see the show?" Malfoy asked laughing.

"We're going to see our friend. A friend who has to kill his pet because a pathetic git acted like a wimpy little baby after being knocked to the ground," Hermione corrected as they continued to walk.

Malfoy stepped in their way drawing his wand. "I'll teach you to respect your superiors, Mudblood."

Without warning, Hermione raised her fist and punched Malfoy in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"Why you filthy…" Malfoy started as he stood and dusted himself.

Hermione raised her fist again but was stopped by Harry who grabbed her hand and continued down the path.

"That felt good."

"Not good," Ron corrected. "Brilliant! So the map's gone then?" he asked turning to Harry.

"Lupin confiscated it when he caught me walking the halls at night," Harry told him releasing Hermione's hand once he felt they were far enough away that Malfoy was out of danger.

"But why were you out at night?" Hermione asked.

"That day in Hogsmeade, I overheard McGonagall say that Black killed my parents' friend, Peter Pettigrew. But when I was looking at the map, I saw his name. I wanted to find him. Or at least see if it was real."

"Thanks for coming to see me you lot!" they could here Hagrid calling from his house. "But I don't want you seeing any of this."

"We only wanted to see that you were alright," Hermione assured him.

"Fine. Fine. Dumbledore's coming down to be with me, you know? Good man, Dumbledore."

"Can't believe Malfoy's getting away with this," Ron mumbled as they all stepped into Hagrid's hut.

"Oh, Ron, believe I found something that belongs to you," Hagrid told him grabbing an old jar from the shelf and reaching inside. "You best be keeping a better eye on your pets," he finished as Ron's rat Scabbers was pulled from the jar squealing and squirming.

Just then a rock flew through the window breaking another jar on the shelf. Hermione picked up and examined the rock as a second hit Harry in the head causing him to look outside where he saw Dumbledore escorting the Minister of Magic and what looked to be an executioner through the grounds. "Hagrid," Harry said in a solemn tone. "They're here."

"Out, now. All of you. It's getting dark and you three shouldn't be out of the castle at this time, especially you Harry."

"Hagrid," Harry told him as they were being rushed out the back door, "it'll all be okay."

Harry, Hermione and Ron hid in Hagrid's pumpkin patch until they heard the sound of a blade slicing through flesh then four sets of footsteps entering Hagrid's hut. Hermione's face was buried in Harry's shoulder as he and Ron looked at each other with horror in their eyes.

"We should get back," Ron finally told them, clutching Scabbers to his chest and they started back up the path to the school.

Only a minute later, the onlookers jumped to see a large black dog lunge at the group, biting down hard on Ron's leg. He screamed in pain as the dog started to drag Ron from his friends and toward the Whomping Willow, then through a hole at the base of the tree.

Harry and Hermione chased after, being thrown sideways by a branch. Hearing Ron's screams, they jumped up and ran hand in hand toward the tree. They managed together to dodge one branch.

"Duck!" Hermione yelled but it was too late. Harry had been thrown sideways by another wildly swinging branch.

"Bloody hell," Mr. Weasley mumbled under his breath.

The next came low and Hermione managed to jump over it but a second violently swinging branch came right after hitting her in the stomach and knocking her off her feet. She managed to hold onto the branch while it swung, trying to violently shake off its occupant. Hermione clung tighter to the branch as it made its way toward Harry again. This time, though, Hermione was ready, grabbing Harry by the wrist & using the leverage from the swinging branch to throw him into the same hole that Ron disappeared through. After being swung in two complete circles on her own, Hermione managed to release the branch just in time to be thrown through the same hole herself, landing on top of Harry with a loud thud.

"What is this?" she gasped when they could finally stand again.

"It's a tunnel," Harry answered, illuminating his wand and walking further inside. "I saw it on the map but didn't dare go near that tree again."

"Where's Ron?"

"I think the grim took him through here."

Together they ran toward the far end of the tunnel. It felt like it went on forever but after a while the tunnel began to narrow and slope upwards.

"The Shrieking Shack?" Hermione whispered after exiting the tunnel through a trap door. They could hear Ron's cries of pain from upstairs somewhere and raced toward them as quietly as possible.

They found Ron in an upstairs bedroom, clinging to Scabbers with one hand and cradling his injured leg with the other. He was huddled in a corner and they ran straight to him. "NO!" Ron yelled, seeing his friends. "Watch out! It's a trap! He's the dog! He's an animagus!" he continued pointing behind them. Harry and Hermione turned in time to see Sirius Black stepping out from behind the door they'd flung open. His hair was matted; his teeth were rotten; his prison uniform was filthy; and he had a deranged look in his eyes as he watched the three.

"What the hell did you do to my son Black," Mr. Weasley accused.

"I didn't…I don't…I" Sirius trail off.

Hermione through herself in front of Harry. "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill me too!"

"Only one will die tonight," the older Sirius told them, taking a step closer.

Harry pushing Hermione to the side, and grabbing her wand. "AND IT'LL BE YOU!" he yelled as he tackled Black to the floor, pointing his wand right between the man's eyes.

Then Black did something that no one expected. He laughed, "Are you going to kill me, Harry?"

"Expelliarmus!" Lupin yelled as he pushed through the door.

Harry's wand flew from his hand. Lupin nudged his head to the side telling and Harry followed direction dismounting Black and slowing backing toward his friends. With a smile on his face, Lupin reached down and pulled Sirius from the floor. Laughing Black embraced his old friend. "I've waited so long," Black told him! Twelve years! Let's kill him!"

"NO!" Hermione yelled, once again blocking Harry with her own body. "I TRUSTED YOU! I KEPT YOUR SECRET! AND ALL THIS TIME, YOU'VE BEEN HIS FRIEND! He's a werewolf!" she finished turning to her friends.

"And how long have you known?" Lupin asked, looking slightly hurt.

"Since Professor Snape set that essay."

"Enough talk, Remus!" Black pleaded. "Let's kill him!"

"Wait!" Lupin ordered.

"I did my waiting!" Black argued, looking on the verge of tears. "Twelve years of it, in Azkaban!"

"Very well," Lupin relented, handing his own wand to Black, "but wait one minute. Harry has a right to know why," he reasoned.

"I know why!" Harry yelled at Black, with an equally deranged look on his bloodied face. "You betrayed my parents! You're the reason they're dead!"

"No, Harry-" Sirius argued, his arms limp at his sides.

"Don't you call me that!"

"It wasn't me! It's my fault they're dead, yes, but I didn't betray them! I swear it," Black pleaded, dropping the wand and stepping closer to Harry. "It's was Pettigrew. I thought if we let him be the secret keeper everyone would still believe it to be me and he, you and your parents would all be safe but I was wrong! It was my idea but I would never betray James and Lily that way! Never!"

"I don't believe you! Pettigrew's dead and you killed him."

"He's not, Harry! You pointed it out to me yourself. His name was on the map," Lupin interrupted.

"Then the map lied!"

"The map never lies!" the three remaining Marauders yelled right along with Lupin and Black.

"Come out, Peter!" Black called. "Come out, come out and play!"

"There's no one else here," Ron told him.

"Oh really, boy? Then what is that you have in your hand?"

"Scabbers?"

"Peter!" Lupin corrected. "And if you'll hand him over I'll prove it to you."

Ron twisted away from him.

"Give it to them, Ron," Harry order.

Just then Scabbers bit Ron's finger, drawing blood and causing him to release his pet who made a break for the door. Black grabbed Lupin's wand from the floor. Together he and Lupin, using the wand he'd disarmed from harry, began shooting nonverbal spells at the fleeing rat. Scabbers made it to a hole in the wall before the rat's small body began to expand into that of a filthy, hairy, plump man.

"Sirius! Remus! My old friends," the man pleaded at their feet before turning to Harry. "Harry! So much like your father!"

"Don't you dare address my godson!" Sirius ordered. "Don't you dare speak of James and Lily in front of him, you traitor."

"Not I, Sirius! You were the one..."

"Drop the act, Wormtail," Remus ordered.

"Fine," the man sneered, standing. "I did it! I've been a Death Eater since fifth year! Right under your pathetic noses this whole time and you never suspected it! I was glad to give them over to the Dark Lord! James, that pathetic blood traitor, marrying that mudblood. And they produce the boy who's supposed to be able to end my Lord! They got what they deserved!"

Black advanced with his wand pointed straight at the man's chest.

"No!" Harry yelled stopping him. "We'll take him to the castle. The Minister's there. He can see Pettigrew, clear your name, then we can let the dementors have him."

The scene fast forwarded again and they watched as the group made their strange parade back to the Hogwarts grounds with Pettigrew being restrained by Lupin and Ron supported by Hermione. Harry and Black took up the rear, deep in conversation. They watched in horror as the clouds shifted and a full moon was exposed. Lupin changed in front of them and with the brief distraction Peter escaped. Black turned into his dog form and went after Lupin. Harry chased after Black and Hermione continued to the castle with Ron, informed Dumbledore what happened and was sent to the hospital wing. Soon Harry joined and the scene slowed down.

"Now pay attention," Dumbledore whispered to Hermione and Harry. "Sirius is locked on the seventh floor in Professor Flitwicks off. Miss Granger, you know the laws. You must not be seen. If you succeed you may be able to save two innocent lives tonight."

The scene sped up once again as Hermione pulled a chain from under her shirt and looped it around Harry's neck. Suddenly it was light outside and Harry and Hermione were running from the hospital wing, through the grounds and hiding in the Dark Forrest. They managed to untie the hippogriff right under the Minister's nose and lead him back into the forest with them. There all three of them waited until they saw themselves re-emerging from under the Whomping Willow. This time, they followed Harry as Harry followed Sirius. The scene slowed again just as Harry and Sirius were being attacked by dementors by a lake.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry yelled, jumping from behind a tree. A great silvery stag emerged from the tip of his wand. "It was me!" he said turning back to Hermione. "I thought it was my dad but it was me! I knew I could do it this time because I'd already done it, understand?"

"Not really," Hermione answered, pulling Harry back behind the tree.

Once again the scene sped up and they watched as Black and Harry were taken back to the castle. "I think it's been long enough," Hermione said as the scene slowed. Harry and Hermione bowed to the hippogriff and they were allowed access to his back.

"I don't like flying! I don't like flying! I don't like flying!" Hermione repeated as they flew on the hippogriff's back up to the seventh floor toward where Sirius was gazing out of barred windows. "Bombarda!" she yelled and the window was blown away from the side of the castle. The hippogriff hovered just close enough to the window for Sirius to climb on his back.

Together they all flew to the hospital wing windows that Ron held open allowing Hermione inside. She turned to see Harry hugging Black goodbye.

"Good luck, Mr. Black," she called as Harry entered the room and Black took flight.

The scene faded away.

a/n: Long one! Sorry about the wait. Review please & I'll keep working on the next one!


	20. Chapter 20

"You saved my life?" Sirius asked dumbstruck.

"No," Allison corrected, "not exactly your life. Just your soul. They were going to perform the dementor's kiss."

Sirius's eyes grew large in shock before he stooped down and kissed Allison on the forehead, earning a glare from both James and Moody and an "Ah, young love" from Dumbledore as the scenery around them began to change.

They were now in a crowded, cluttered kitchen with a beaten up table where Hermione sat talking with Ginny over a bowl of ice cream that they shared with two red headed men who looked to be in their early twenties.

"So, 'Mione, you're telling me you don't fly at all?" the older man asked.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you, Bill," Hermione answered. "I don't like flying. If people were meant to fly we'd all be birds."

"Bill?" Arthur asked as he looked around the crowded room. "My Billy? This is my house isn't it?"

Allison only nodded as the younger man began speaking. "Then why are you going to the World Cup with us?"

"I don't have to like flying in order to enjoy quidditch, Charlie. I've always enjoyed the school games and I'd like to see a professional game."

"Always enjoyed the school games or always enjoyed watching Harry?" Ginny teased.

"I think you're confusing me with yourself," Hermione teased back as the younger girl's face turned bright red.

"Got something you want t-" Bill began but was cut off by loud voices in the other room.

"What was that?" they heard Harry ask.

"Ton tongue toffee," George told him proudly as they walked through the door into the kitchen.

"Is it a Zonko's product?"

"It's a Weasley product," Fred boasted as Bill began to clear the only half-eaten bowl of ice cream from the table.

"We don't want to be in here," Charlie warned, escorting Hermione and Ginny through the back door.

"Just wait until I tell you mother!" they heard Mr. Weasley's muffled yell from the kitchen.

"Tell me…" Mrs. Weasley's voice trailed off for a moment then, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING! TESTING THOSE PRODUCTS OF YOURS! AND ON A MUGGLE NO LESS!"

Harry and Ron ran through the back door to join the rest of them in the garden.

"It's getting ugly in there," Ron told them.

Harry ran straight to Hermione and wrapped her in a tight hug. "I've missed you, 'Mione," Harry told her as Allison looked on with a sad smile. "Isn't this place brilliant?" he asked excitedly. "I love it here!"

The scene began to fade once again.

When they next scene formed around them they were in the middle of a house-like tent. There was a full kitchen, living area, and bedrooms. They only knew it was a tent because of the sloping cloth ceiling. The interior of the tent was dark but something seemed to be blazing outside.

"Seems the Irish have got their pride on," one of the twins said through a yawn as he sat up and stretch in his bunk bed.

"That's not the Irish!" Mr. Weasley said frantically as he stuck his head through the tent flap. "Bill, Charlie, Percy!" he yelled waking both girls. "I need you out here with me! The rest of you get back to the port key. Fred, George, you're in responsible for Ginny. Where are Harry and Ron?"

Seeming to sense the urgency of the situation, Hermione was already pulling her trainers on. "I'll wake them, sir," she told him and was answered with a nod as the four older Weasley men ran out of the tent. Hermione ran to the other room where two boys were snoring in bunk beds. "Harry! Ron! Get up! It's urgent!"

Harry was the first to stir. "S'matter, 'Mione?" he asked sitting up in bed.

"Not sure," she answered, climbing to the top bunk to shake Ron awake. "Mr. Weasley called the older boys out to help with something and told the rest of us to get back to the port key now. He sounded scared!"

Harry was out of bed in a flash and throwing on his jacket and trainers. Getting frustrated with Ron, who was still sleeping soundly he helped Hermione pulled their friend from the top bunk and throw a jacket and trainers at him.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" Ron protested from the floor.

"Get dressed!" Harry ordered. "We're being evacuated!"

"What? Where is everyone?" Ron asked, pulling on his shoes.

"Your dad took Bill, Charlie and Percy with him," Hermione told him as they made their way to the tent flap. "Fred and George have Ginny. Let's go!"

They burst through the tent's entrance together and were shocked at the scene in front of them. Tents were on fire, witches and wizards were fleeing the scene, muggles were being levitated and spun like tops in the air. The wands directing this mayhem were held by a large crowd of wizards marching closely together, wearing black robes and silver masks.

"What are they?" Hermione asked as Harry screamed in pain and clutched his forehead.

"MUDBLOOD!" one of the masked men yelled pointing his wand at Hermione. "Crucio!"

"Protego!" Hermione heard the familiar voice of Professor Lupin yell from behind at the exact same moment the other wizard shot the unforgivable at her. "They're Death Eaters," Lupin told the scared trio. "Voldemort's followers. Get out of here now! All of you! Go!"

The trio began running, ducking behind tents and trees after ten minutes of running they were deep in the woods. "STOP!" Hermione yelled, alerting Ron.

"What's up?"

"Where's Harry?"

"Bloody hell," Ron croaked, staring up at the sky that had suddenly illuminated green.

Following his gaze Hermione gasped, "the Dark Mark." They shared a frightened gaze for only a second before they turned, running back in the direction they came. "HARRY!"

"HARRY!" They were once again dodging trees and tents, and now hurdling over small fires and injured people.

"HARRY!"

"AGH!" they heard someone yell in the distance, near the end of the row of tents.

They ran straight to the injured boy who was curled in the fetal position on the ground, holding his forehead and screaming in pain with tears rolling down his cheeks. "Harry?" Hermione asked, falling to her knees. "Harry, what's wrong?"

"It burns, 'Mione," Harry moaned as Ron caught up and fell to his knees beside them. "My scar it burns!"

"You's ought to be going," someone squeaked behind them. Hermione turned to see a small house elf. "There's is bad wizards out tonight. You's is in danger."

"Come on, Harry," Ron told him as he and Hermione lifted Harry putting one arm over each of their shoulders.

They'd barely gone two steps when spells started flashing by their heads. "Stupify!" someone yelled and Ron fell to the ground. With the loss of support, Harry also fell and Hermione soon followed as spells continued to zoom past them.

"STOP!" Mr. Weasley yelled. "That's my son."

"He was found at the scene of the crime, Arthur," a ministry official replied, without lowering his wand.

"Check their wands," Mr. Weasley ordered. "I assure you it wasn't any of them."

Another ministry official performed the counter curse on Ron and he, Harry, and Hermione were sat down and tended to by Charlie as their wands were checked. All were found innocent as the scene began to blur into nothingness once again.

When the scene reformed they were standing in the middle of the crowded great hall. The large dining room was decorated in all of the house colors and a much older professor McGonagall was removing the stool and sorting hat from the room. The viewers stood close to the Gryffindor table where Harry was talking excitedly with Neville and Dean and Ron was grumbling to himself about Peeves and water balloons.

"Oi, 'Mione. Who do you suppose the three empty chairs are for?" Seamus whispered.

"Why does everyone assume I know everything?" Hermione grumbled.

"Because you usually do," Harry told her, laughing.

"I suppose one is for the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professors," she sighed. "And the others I have no idea!"

"I still don't understand why we couldn't keep Professor Lupin," Harry grumbled.

"Probably because he's a werewolf," Seamus interjected.

"But it's not like he'd ever hurt any of us and he was the best Defense teacher we've had!" Ron defended.

"I don't disagree with you, Ron," Seamus told him, "but me mam does. Most of the other parents too."

"So ridiculous!" Hermione complained. "With wolfsbane potion he's barely more than a cuddly dog!"

"What's wolfsbane?" Remus asked.

"A potion that allows werewolves to keep their mind about them during their transformation so that they don't let their more primal urges take over and hurt someone. Still, not many actually take it," Allison answered.

"When will it be invented?" James asked.

"Don't know," she replied, looking sideways at Severus.

"…our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Alastor Moody," Dumbledore was saying at the front of the room.

"Mad-Eye?" Fred questioned.

"This is going to be a great year!" George finished.

"So, Moonie was your favorite Defense professor even over your dad?" James asked, suspicious as Mad-Eye Moody began to clunk a wooden leg across the floor to the head table.

"That's not me," Moody growled, speaking for the first time since their little excursion began.

"No, it's not," Allison replied simply.

"…host to Durmstrang and Beauxbaton schools for magic during the Tri-Wizard Tournament," Dumbledore was now saying as the double doors to the Great Hall opened. "Please join me in welcoming our guests. First, Madame Maxime and the lovely ladies of Beauxbaton Academy." All of the students clapped as a group of beautiful girls dressed in blue silk robes entered the room following an enormous woman with chin length black hair. Ron took particular interest in one of them with flowing blonde hair and doe-like blue eyes.

"She's a veela," Ron told Harry in an awed whisper. Hermione and Allison rolled their eyes at his statement.

"And now, please welcome Durmstrang School of Magic." Next a group of young men in red tunics walked in followed by a tall man with black hair and a weak chin, not completely hidden by his goatee. He was smiling but it didn't reach his eyes. By his side walked a tall, thin student with his black hair shaved, and a large curved nose.

"Viktor Krum!" someone whispered.

"Viktor Krum," another repeated. It continued until the whole hall seemed to be saying his name.

"Who's Viktor Krum?" Regulus asked.

"Bulgarian National Quidditch Team's seeker," Allison answered through as Sirius wrapped an arm around her and she leaned closer into him.

"…due to safety concerns, no one under the age of seventeen will be permitted to enter the tournament," Dumbledore finished speaking as he was drowned out by a room full of boos.

The scene didn't fade this time but details were changing in front of their eyes. The sky was lighter outside and the rain was replaced by ominous looking clouds. Two tables were added to the large dining room where the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students sat together. The entire hall was cheering as a handsome seventeen year old boy in Hufflepuff colors made his way through a door to the side of the head table.

"As we now have our three champions-" Dumbledore was cut off as a large goblet in the front of the room glowed and shot something out at him. He unfolded the singed paper and his eyes grew dark. "Harry Potter?" he read in a questioning tone then, "HARRY POTTER!"

The entire hall turned toward the Gryffindor table where Harry slumped down next to Hermione whose eyes were wide with worry as Ron's face twisted in anger.

"I didn't…"

"Go, Harry," Hermione whispered to him.

"HARRY POTTER!"

"Go!" she yelled this time, pushing him from his seat.

The scene dissolved around them. When the scene reformed they were in a classroom. Slytherins sat across and aisle, sneering at the Gryffindors. "There are three unforgivable curses. They are so named because the use of any one of them will get you a one way ticket to Azkaban Prison. There are those in the ministry who would prefer that I didn't teach you but I believe that in order to fight them, you must know them. Weasley," Mad-Eye said while spilling a spider to grow, "give us a curse.

"Well…um…" Ron stammered as he got to his feet, "my father did tell me about one: the imperius curse."

"Very good," Mad-Eye replied. "The Imperius Curse allows the witch or wizard performing it to control the person they've cast it on. Imperio," he said, pointing his wand at the engorged spider. The spider flung itself around the room, crawling on heads and along arms. Everyone laughed at the others' expense. Mad-Eye laughed right along with them until, "What should I have her do now?" he asked as the spider dangled over a cowering Malfoy. "Jump out the window?" The spider flew toward an open window. "Drown herself?" The direction changed and the spider was now hovering over a jar of water. The entire class looked on in horror. "Scores of witches and wizards swore the only reason they joined the Dark Lord was because they were under the imperius curse and they got away with it too! Codswallop, I say. Sure there were some but most performed those acts of their own free will.

"Longbottom?" he continued. "Name another."

Neville gulped as he stood. "There's the…um…" he looked back at Hermione for a moment before turning back to the front of the room "…the cruciatus curse."

"Ah, the torture curse," Mad-Eye answered. He pointed his wand at the spider. "Crucio!"

The spider squealed and twitched in pain. Neville averted his gaze and looked as though he may cry. "Stop it!" Hermione finally called. "Can't you see it's bothering him? Stop it!"

Mad-Eye dropped his wand arm and lifted the spider in his other hand, depositing it on Hermione's desk. "Perhaps you could give us the final curse?" Hermione shook her head at him. "No? Avada Kadavra!" he pointed the wand at the spider who fell over dead.

"Who is that?" Moody growled as the scene dissolved around them.

"I didn't enter my name, 'Mione!" they heard Harry's yell before the scene took shape.

"I believe you, Harry," Hermione replied, rubbing her temples as she sat in front of the fire.

Harry paced in front of her. "Well Ron doesn't. Nor does the rest of the school! No one's talking to me at all! And dragons, 'Mione! We have to fight dragons! And Ron knew! He knew and he let Hagrid tell me! And this Rita Skeeter mess…" Harry crumbled up a newspaper and threw it into the fire.

"It is not alright for him to yell at you like that," James told her, looking upset.

"He was angry," Allison answered with a smile. "And rightfully so. He doesn't normally act like that."

"Harry!" they heard a whispered yell. "Harry!"

"Sirius?" Harry asked kneeling in front of the fire.

"I don't have much time, Harry, so I'll just ask. Did you or did you not enter your name into the goblet of fire?"

"No, I didn't."

"Is that Snuffles in the fire?" Hermione asked.

"It is my dear 'Mione and thank you for the dental care kit," Black answered from the fire.

"You're welcome. I'll leave you to it, then, Harry. Good night," Hermione told them and the scene once again faded.

When the swirling mist faded they were standing in the almost empty library with the sun setting outside the window. Harry and Hermione were whispering at a table. The Durmstang student who excited the whole school during the opening feast, Viktor Krum, sat two tables away, pretending to read but really staring at the other two people in the room.

"Siri-" Harry started but stopped when Hermione cleared her throat at arched an eyebrow in Krum's direction. "I mean Snuffles said I have to play toward my strengths."

"It's good advice," Hermione replied, turning a page in her book.

"I don't have any strengths!"

"You can fly," Hermione corrected. "You're a brilliant flyer. Possibly better than…" she arched her eyebrow at Krum again.

"It isn't helpful if I'm not allowed a broom, though," Harry dropped his voice to a barely audible whisper.

"You're allowed a wand, Harry."

"Yes, but-"

Harry fell silent as he watched Hermione lift her wand arm and flick her wrist. "Accio Seventh Year Guide to Care for Magical Creatures textbook." Harry stared at her with raised eyebrows in silence for a moment. He was about to say something when he was distracted by a whooshing sound behind him. Turning his head, Harry ducked just in time to avoid being hit in the face by a book. Hermione held it up to show Harry the title which read to be exactly the book she'd just named. "Just remember to be specific. If you say 'broomstick' every broom in the school will fly at you at once," Hermione finished closing her books and stacking them while she stood.

"Hermione," Harry stopped her, "be careful. Snuffles also says that Hogwarts isn't safe anymore."

"Hogwarts hasn't been safe since you came here," Hermione laughed.

Again the swirling mist consumed the scene which reformed on the Hogwarts grounds. They were standing next to Hermione in the quidditch stands.

"He's my friend, Ron," Hermione argued with the redhead next to her.

"Am I not?" Ron argued back.

"Of course you are-"

"Then why are you spending all your free time with him?"

"I'm not!" Hermione practically yelled. "I'm in the library studying most days. If Harry chooses to visit me there and you don't it isn't my fault."

"But-"

"Oh, hush! It's his turn," Hermione interrupted at Harry's name was announced.

Ron's face contorted into a look of sheer terror. "The horntail?" he asked as he watched the dragon being led onto the field by his older brother.

Harry came out soon after and made to run for a golden egg but was stopped by the dragon's massive horned tail. Harry barely dodged behind a large boulder in time to avoid being crushed. He made another move toward the egg and this time wasn't as fast. The dragon shot fire at him and caught his arm, setting his sleeve on fire.

"YOUR WAND, HARRY!" Hermione yelled with tears in her eyes. "USE YOUR WAND!"

Harry flicked his wrist and yelled something that was drowned out by the cheers of the crowd and the roar of the dragon. A minute later a shiny broomstick soared through the air, cutting a path through the crowd. It flew up to where Harry stood waiting and he threw a leg over the broom and dove straight for the egg, snatching it up with his right arm.

The dragon went wild with rage, thrashing and pulling until she managed to tear herself free of the chain that held her to the ground. The dragon took flight after Harry and chased him toward the castle and out of sight.

The scene began to fade once again as James spun, looking for Harry.

When the scene took shape again they were in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione sat on the couch reading the Daily Prophet with Harry and Ron playing wizard's chess on the floor in front of them. Various other friends sat with them.

"Agh!" Hermione yelled, crumpling the paper and throwing it in the fire. "Skeeter's at it again!" she told them when the entire room turned to her. "Apparently I've broken Harry's heart by sneaking around with Krum. Vile woman!"

"How could you, 'Mione?" Harry feigned hurt throwing a hand over his heart. "I loved you!"

"Oh shut up Harry!" Hermione told him laughing.

"We do have an issue though don't we?" Ron asked. "Regarding dates I mean."

"Yeah!" Fred agreed.

"You need to find yourself a date, Ron," George continued.

"The sooner the better. Before all the good ones are taken," Fred finished.

"Who are you taking them?" Ron asked.

"Oi, Angelina," Fred called across the room. "Wanna go to the ball with me?"

"Yeah alright," a pretty girl called back.

Ron slumped for a moment before turning toward the couch. "Mione, you're a girl."

"Don't do it, Ron," Harry mumbled under his breath.

"Nothing gets past you does it, Ron?" Hermione asked, taking a book from her bag and opening it in her lap.

"Ron," Fred warned.

"Well you obviously don't have a date…"

"This is a bad idea," George tried.

"Don't I?" Hermione asked.

"It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone but for a girl it's just sad."

All three boys wore painful expressions as they turned away from Ron.

"It might interest you to know that someone's already asked me," Hermione told him, slamming her book shut and stuffing it in her bag. "And I said yes!" she finished, stomping from the room.

The scene faded again and reformed as the Great Hall, decorated for a party. Harry and Ron sat at a table in dress robes, Ron's worn and old-fashioned, and Hermione seemed to float toward them in a form-fitting but not revealing periwinkle blue dress.

"You look beautiful, 'Mione," Harry told her as she sat with them.

"Thanks, Harry," she blushed.

"Where's Krum?" Ron asked.

"He's gone to get drinks. Would you like something?" The boys shook their heads. "Have you figured out the clue yet, Harry?"

"No. I supposed Viktor figured it out ages ago?"

"I wouldn't know," Hermione replied waving at Ginny as the younger girl danced with Neville. "We don't talk about the tournament. Viktor's more of a physical being."

"Guess it wasn't the studying that had him spending all that time in the library then, was it?" Ron teased as he took the hand of a pretty Indian girl and they made their way to the dance floor, leaving Hermione behind blushing with a laughing Harry.

"I didn't mean it like that."

Harry only nodded.

"Really. Mostly he just watches me study."

"Mostly," Harry teased as the scene faded into a swirling mist.

"What the…I'm totally dry!" James said as the next scene formed to show them underwater.

Hermione, Ron, a pretty Asian girl, and a miniature version of the veela champion from Beauxbaton were tied to the lake floor with sea weed and guarded by merpeople holding sharp tridents. Harry was swimming toward them with gills on his neck and flippers for feet.

Ron was closest so Harry swam to him first, untying his restraints and setting him free to float to the surface. As he did this an older boy with golden brown hair swam toward them with a bubble head charm in place. He drew his wand and blasted the weed holding the Asian girl in place.

Following his lead, Harry removed his own wand and pointed it at Hermione's restraints. A trident was promptly push toward his throat and a merman warned him, "only one."

"But she's my friend too," Harry protested as a half boy, half shark swam toward him with his jaws open.

The shark-boy bit through Hermione's restraints and used them to pull her away.

They followed Hermione to the surface where the shark turning into Viktor Krum and helped her swim to the stands where officials, professors, and students waited, cheering. Neville and Seamus helped Hermione out of the water as Dean ran to retrieve two towels. They sat shivering on the deck, waiting for Harry and Ron to surface.

Ron came up first, pulling the small blonde girl with him. He shifted the girl to his back and swam with her to the stands where the veela was on her knees ready to embrace her sister. "Fleur!" the girl yelled but it was drowned out by the cheering as Harry came shooting from the water only to plop right back down on the surface. Ron and Hermione both dove into the water to pull their unconscious friend to safety.

Dumbledore and the other judges had a conversation with a member of the mer-tribe as a much older looking Madam Pomfrey revived Harry.

"I finished last," Harry moaned as he opened his eyes.

Hermione was so excited she threw her arms around him. "Not last. Fleur couldn't get past the grindylows!"

The scene faded away as Dumbledore announce Cedric Diggory as the winner of the event and Harry as second place for "outstanding moral fiber."

"For what?" James asked with a smile plastered on his face.

"He wouldn't leave until the last person was rescued," Allison answered. "When the hour was over and Gabrielle was still tied down there, he released her. He was unconscious because he fought off merpeople and grindylows to get both her and Ron to the surface."

"Why'd they take you?" Sirius asked.

Allison took a deep breath before answering. "They chose the most important person in each champion's life."

When the scene formed around them again they were back in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione, Harry and Ron were huddled by the fire drinking hot tea.

"There's something strange about Moody, don't you think?" Harry asked.

"There's a reason they call him mad, mate," Ron told him.

Hermione ignored Ron and answered Harry, seriously, "I've been saying that since our first class. Maybe you should tell Snuffles."

"No! I'm not giving him a reason to come out of hiding!" Harry protested. "But something else strange happened after the task. Snape accused me of stealing from his personal stores."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Ron offered.

"Is that where you got the gillyweed?" Hermione asked.

"I got it from Dobby. Don't worry. But Snape said the ingredients for making Polyjuice Potion are missing."

The scene faded away as the small group was joined by the rest of the Weasley children and Ron and Harry's dormmates.

This time when the scene reformed they were back on the grounds. Hermione stood in the stands with the entire Weasley family except for Mr. Weasley as champions were being introduced and walking into the stadium with their parents.

Harry's name was called and he reluctantly entered, coaxed by Mr. Weasley who was whispering in his ear.

Dumbledore called attention to the podium. "As Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory are tied for first place, they will be first to enter the maze in search of the Tri-Wizard Cup. The first person to touch the cup will be the winner. If any person should wish to withdraw from the task he or she must only send up red sparks from their wand."

Harry took one last look toward his friends before turning reluctantly toward the maze. As soon as he entered the maze sealed itself behind him.

The scene fast forwarded then as the entire crowd watched the maze with all its entrances sealed. At one point, red sparks shot into the air and Fleur was pulled from the maze.

"Some champion she was," Regulus commented.

"Viktor attacked her," Allison defended. "He was imperiused. Harry found her just as the maze was pulling her under a bush and sent up the sparks."

The scene was slowing now as Harry and Cedric fell to the ground with the cup in hand. The crowd cheered but neither boy moved. Harry's body was shaking and Cedric was completely still. Hermione let out a blood curdling scream as she and Ron fought through the crowd to get to Harry.

Everything went deathly silent.

"It was a portkey," they could hear Harry cry. "He's back!" he yelled as Hermione got closer and pulled him away from Cedric's body. "He's back and he killed Cedric." He cried into Hermione's arms as she turned him from the body.

"Keep everybody in their seats. Remove the body," the minister for magic ordered as Moody grabbed Harry away from Hermione's embrace.

The scene faded around them as they watched Harry being led from the stadium by Mad-Eye Moody.

"There are some in the ministry who'd prefer that I didn't tell you what I am about to say," Dumbledore's voice echoed as the great hall formed around them. The tables were removed and rows of chairs faced a podium placed where the head table usually sat. "But I believe to do so would disgrace the sacrifice that one of your friends and classmates made. Cedric Diggory is dead and opposed to what the ministry in saying it was not a horrible accident. Cedric was murdered by Lord Voldemort and today we acknowledge the terrible loss of a hard-work, fair minded, loyal friend. Let us remember the bonds of friendship that we have all made here and in doing so we will celebrate a boy who kind, honest and brave to the very end."

a/n: Sorry this one took so long but you should expect to wait just as long for the next chapter. Please review!


	21. Chapter 21

As the next scene formed they were in a large kitchen, obviously muggle. Hermione and a pretty, petite woman with straight brown hair and a kind smile were making dinner as the sun started to set outside.

"You haven't mentioned staying with the Weasleys this summer, dear," the woman mentioned.

"I've only been home a week, Mum," Hermione laughed. "Already ready to get rid of me?"

"Dear, you know if I had the choice you'd never leave," she said, hugging her side. "I just figured you'd be visiting them again this year but since I have you for the foreseeable future what should we do next week? I'll take the whole week off. We can go on a short holiday? Italy? Paris? Or just spend a week in London shopping, going to the museums, take in a play?"

"We don't have to do that, Mum. We can just hang out here."

"No, no, we need some mother-daughter time! So where do you want to go?"

"London sounds fun. It's been a while since we had a really good shopping trip."

"We'll pick some things up for your friend Harry as well."

"Mione! Owl for you," a man called from the other room.

"Is it Hedwig?" Hermione asked, excited.

"No."

"Pig?"

"No."

"Viktor's owl?"

"No. It's a new owl. I haven't seen it before," the man answered, walking into the room holding an envelope with an owl perched on his shoulder.

"Thanks, daddy," Hermione replied taking the envelope as she kissed her father's cheek. She dropped the envelope on the table and grabbed some owl treats from the top shelf of the pantry. Placing a bowl of water and a pile of treats on the table she sat and opened the letter.

"Who's it from, dear?" her mother asked.

"Remember Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked.

"He's the nice man we met in Diagon Alley last summer, right?" her father asked.

"That's him," she answered distractedly as she read the letter. "He's with the Weasleys at Harry's godfather's house for the summer and they'd all like me to stay with them there." Her mother looked disappointed for a moment. "If it's alright with you they'll pick me up two weeks from today."

The scene swirled around them and reformed in a room that looked almost identical to the room Allison would be staying with at the Potters house, if not smaller. Hermione had her school trunk open on her bed as she packed. It was dark outside her window and a quick glance at the clock told them that it was four in the morning. Hermione was gingerly placing clothes, shoes, robes, books, and pictures into the trunk. Two old suitcases sat on the floor at the foot of the bed.

"Hermione?" he mother asked, peeking her head in through the door. "Oh, good, you're up. Brought you tea."

"Thanks Mum," Hermione replied with a yawn.

"Are you all ready to go?"

"Almost," Hermione replied closing and latching her trunk. "They'll be here soon," she told them, half excited, half sad. Just as she said it, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," he dad offered. "You find that cat of yours."

A moment later Professor Lupin and Hermione's father returned to the room where she was fighting Crookshanks into his travel carrier.

"Alright, 'Mione?" Lupin asked and she turned around with a smile.

"Never better, Professor. Will Harry be there?" she asked as she hugged him.

"Ready to go?"

"Yes, sir."

Her father grabbed her trunk and headed out of the room. "Moody's here," Lupin whispered. "I don't want you to be alarmed when you see him. It's the real Moody though so play along." He grabbed both of the bags from the floor leaving Hermione to take the kitty carrier holding Crookshanks.

When they arrived downstairs Mad-Eye was sitting in the living room drinking tea with Hermione's parents and Mr. Weasley.

"Miss Granger," Mad-Eye growled. "Good to see you again."

"You too, Professor," Hermione answered, hugging Mr. Weasley.

"I believe it's time to be off," Mad-Eye continued, looking at the clock. "Need to get there before all the muggles are out. Mr. and Mrs. Granger, thank you for your hospitality."

Hermione hugged her parents good-bye before stepping out into the early morning with the three wizards she knew to be her protection detail.

"You never answered, Professor. Is Harry there already?"

"Not yet," Lupin replied as the scene faded.

"NO!" the younger Sirius yelled when the next scene formed. "I swore I'd never go back to that hell hole! What are you doing there?" They were standing in the entrance way of number 12 Grimauld Place and Lupin was pulling a curtain over a screaming portrait.

"Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione yelled as she ran into the older woman's open arms. "I've missed you so much!"

"Oh, I've missed you too, dear," Mrs. Weasley cooed, kissing Hermione on top of her head as two very loud cracks sounded next to them. Hermione jumped as Mrs. Weasley turned to scold the twins. "Just because you're allowed to do magic now, doesn't mean you have to for every little thing."

"Yes ma'am," they said in unison and feigned shame.

"Good to see you 'Mione," George greeted taking her trunk from Lupin as Fred took her two bags from Mad-Eye.

"Let us get your things," Fred offered. They both disappeared with another loud crack.

"Did I hear someone say 'Mione?" Ginny called from upstairs as she peered down. "Come up here! We're sharing a room only they're much bigger than the burrow!"

"After dinner," Mrs. Weasley ordered. "Everyone to the kitchen!"

Hermione waited for Ginny at the foot of the stairs and followed the younger girl into the kitchen whispering excitedly. When they arrived Hermione looked shocked to see all the Weasleys (except Percy), Lupin, Mad-Eye, Sirius, Professor Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall. "Welcome to the House of Black," Black greeted in a dull tone. "Is that Crookshanks you have with you?" Hermione nodded. "Well, let him out then!"

"Since when do I like cats?" Sirius whispered to Allison.

"Half-kneazle, actually. He helped you search for Pettigrew when he hid as the rat," Allison replied as Hermione took a seat between Black and Ginny.

"Where's Harry?" she whispered to Ginny, only loud enough for the other girl and the animagus next to her to hear.

"I'll tell you all about it later," Black whispered as a crash sounded from the entrance hall and the portrait of Sirius's mother started screaming about filthy half-bloods.

"Oh, shut up Aunt Walburga," a woman grumbled. "Never did like you. Still harassing me when you're dead!" The woman was still mumbling as she entered the basement kitchen.

"Nymphadora can't be in the Order!" Black yelled, startling everyone.

"I prefer Tonks, cousin," the woman with hot pink hair replied. "And I'm of age and trained so there's no reason why I can't!" she finished with her hands on her hips as she stood next to him.

"It's too dangerous!" Black protested.

"Someday you're going to have to stop protecting me you know," she answered, bending to hug him and whispering, "I'm so sorry for ever doubting you."

"Can you believe it?" Ron asked Hermione excitedly from the other side of his sister. "The Order of the Phoenix is real!"

"I've always told you it was, Ronald," Hermione replied. "There's just too much evidence of its existence for it not to be."

"Yeah I know but-"

"Ron, when are going to learn not to doubt 'Mione?" Fred cut his younger brother off, chastising.

The scene faded for only a minute and quickly reformed as the now empty kitchen. Black with a half-empty glass of firewhiskey and Hermione with a cup of tea sat at the large table.

"He's got to stay at his aunt and uncle's house until his birthday," Black told her.

"Why?" she asked, her face falling into a frown.

"It's part of the protection," Sirius answered after taking a long sip of his drink. "Lily sacrificed her life for his so Dumbledore was able to cast a protection charm that lasts until his seventeenth birthday. The only catch is he has to go back to her family once a year for a certain amount of time."

"He hates it there."

"It can't be that bad."

"But it is, Sirius," she protested. "His cousin's so huge he can't fit into his school uniform anymore so they all have to diet and Harry hardly gets anything to eat. They made him live in the cupboard under the stairs until her was eleven. That jerk cousin of his uses him as a punching bag. They're horrible people. They hate him! And I'm worried…"

Black gritted his teeth as she spoke, obviously trying to compose himself. "Why are you worried?" he finally asked.

"He hasn't replied to any of my letters all summer. What if they've locked him in his room again?"

"I can't tell you for sure that they haven't but he hasn't received your letters."

"What do you mean?"

"Dumbledore's been intercepting his owls. He doesn't want him hearing the things being said about him. Your letters are here. He can open them when he comes next week."

"What about the nightmares though?" Hermione asked, obviously upset.

"Nightmares?"

"Before we left school he was having nightmares about Cedric's death. He could barely sleep-"

"We'll take care of him when he gets here," Black told her as the scene faded.

When the scene once again took shape Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, Lupin, and Mad-Eye were sitting in the living room of Grimauld Place. It was dark outside the windows and they were speaking in whispers.

"Where'd you get the money for those things anyway?" Hermione asked the twins.

"Harry gave it to us," Fred told her.

"It was his Tri-Wizard winnings," George continued.

"Asked if he wanted to invest-"

"And he just handed it over instead."

"Said it could be a birthday present."

"Don't tell our mum though. You see-"

"We're afraid she might kill all three of us."

"And Dumbledore tends to take threats on Harry's life very seriously."

Hermione and Ginny giggled at this as the four continued their game of exploding snaps.

Lupin and Mad-Eye were discussing Harry's protection detail in the corner. From what everyone could make out, the same three wizards who picked up Hermione would pick up Harry joined by Tonks and someone names Kingsley.

There was very little sound in the entire house then-

CRASH!

The door to the living room burst open and Black stumbled in, drunk and rambling on about some bird he met at a muggle pub. "Fast, dirty romp in the toilet stall," Black announced as the younger Sirius turned bright red. Black continued to crash around the room for a few minutes before finding what he was looking for in the liquor cabinet and heading up the stairs.

"Does he do that every night?" Hermione asked, staring at the place where Black had just left.

"Stay away from men like him," Mad-Eye warned, looking Hermione straight in the eye. "They only hurt you and cause trouble. He's been that way since he was fifteen. Every girl is just another notch on his bedpost."

Fred and George nodded enthusiastically and told Ginny to do the same as the scene faded around them.

When the swirling mist faded they were back in the basement kitchen. Order members sat around the table talking as the younger residents played exploding snaps in the corner near the fire.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled, jumping up from her spot on the floor and running out the kitchen door to where Harry stood in the hall with Lupin, Mad-Eye, Tonks, Mr. Weasley, and a tall black man. She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight as the visitors all watch Black stand from the table.

"Good to see you too, 'Mione," Harry told her laughing before releasing her and running to embrace Sirius.

The scene sped up around them and in only moments everyone was once again sitting at the dinner table, Harry next to Sirius this time. "I don't get it, though," Harry was saying. "Why were the dementors there? Why am I being charged with illegal use of magic? It was self-defense. I saved Dudley's life!"

"Where's the paper?" Sirius asked.

"No," Mrs. Weasley protested.

"He has a right to know!"

"I disagree."

"I believe Sirius is right," Professor Dumbledore interjected. "Harry should be completely prepared for his trial tomorrow."

"This isn't going to prepare him, Albus. It's going to hurt him."

"I respectfully disagree, Molly," Dumbledore told her as Lupin handed the Daily Prophet to Sirius.

The cover story flashed between "The Boy Who Lived" and "The Boy Who Lied" with a picture of Harry under it.

"I did not!" Harry protested. The scene faded away.

When the scene took shape again they were in a bedroom decorated for teenage girls. Ginny and Hermione were sleeping in their beds as the door creaked open and Harry stuck his head inside. He tiptoed to the nearest bed and pulled the comforter down slightly to reveal straight red hair. He pulled the blanket back up and tucked it securely around Ginny's shoulders before moving on to the next bed. He placed his hand on Hermione's shoulder and gently shook her awake. "Mione?" he whispered. "Mione, wake up please!" he pleaded.

"Why's he sneaking into your room in the middle of the night?" James questioned as Hermione rolled over rubbing her eyes.

"Harry?"

"Mione, can you…"

She nodded and pushed her blankets aside. Together they snuck out of the room into the dimly lit hall.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked as they made their way down the stairs into the Black family library.

"I couldn't sleep," he answered simply as they sat on the couch.

"Nightmares again?"

"They haven't stopped since May," he told her as James dropped to his knees and looked closely at the bags under Harry's eyes.

"He hadn't slept for more than a few hours at a time for over two months by then," Allison offered as Harry laid his head down on Hermione's lap. Moments later the scene went black.

A few minutes after that, their eyes were assaulted by a very bright light. Harry yawned and stretched, sitting up on the couch in the Black library and looking at the still sleeping form of Hermione next to him. Then, someone cleared his throat.

"Sirius?" Harry asked.

"What's going on in here?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow. His voice roused Hermione who also stretch and sat up next to Harry, staring wide eyed at Sirius.

"I couldn't sleep," Harry answered.

"Looked like you were sleeping just fine to me."

"I was having a nightmare so I woke Mione up to talk and we must've fallen asleep," Harry answered before his own eyes grew wide and he turned to Hermione. "I slept through the night!"

"No nightmares?" she asked, excited.

"No dreams at all!"

Sirius cleared his throat again. "I'm still here, you know?"

"Sorry, sir," Hermione apologized.

"Yeah, sorry, Sirius."

"What exactly is going on between you two?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing. We're friends," Harry answered quickly.

Sirius sighed. "Harry, I understand you don't have a good relationship with your uncle?"

"No."

"Then I feel I should be the one to speak with you about this. You need to think long and hard before entering into a sexual relationship." Hermione blushed bright red and Harry choked on his own spit as Sirius continued. "Sex can change things. It will most definitely change your friendship."

"Sirius, can I go?" Hermione practically begged.

"I think you need to hear this too," Sirius told her.

"But Sirius, we're not…we're just…" Harry rambled.

"Now your father," Sirius continued as though he hadn't heard him, "waited until his wedding night and I'm sure that he'd like you to do the same but if that's not the case I'd like to make sure that you're being safe."

Allison blushed at the memory as it faded away.

When the scene took shape again Hermione, Ron and Harry were back in the library. Harry was cleaning out a desk as Hermione dusted the many rows of books and Ron was pounding dust out of a couch cushion. Harry was tugging and grunting at the desk.

"What are you doing over there?" Hermione asked.

"It's this locket," Harry grunted, trying to pry it open.

"That's my locket," Regulus told them once he got a better view.

"Every time I touch it, it sort of hisses at me."

"Give it here," Ron told him as he tried his best to tug it open. "Maybe Fred and George can use magic to open it?"

"Give that here!" Black ordered as he ran into the room and grabbed the locket from Ron. "Molly wants everyone in the kitchen for lunch," he told them once the locket was safely stuffed in his pocket.

Ron ran from the room and Hermione followed after, but more slowly. She met Lupin at the door and together they walked down the stairs hearing bits of Black's conversation with Harry. "It was my brothers. He showed up at my flat when I was twenty, acting like a total nutter, saying something about Voldemort's…"

"It's sad," Hermione told Lupin, "that he hates his own brother so much." Regulus looked at Sirius with tears in his eyes.

"He doesn't hate Regulus. Never did. It broke his heart when Reg became a Death Eater. Their parents were already dead by the time Reg died. Padfoot claimed the body from the muggle authorities that found him on the beach in Wales. He paid for the burial, even went to the grave site once a month. And he kept that locket. You don't do that for someone you hate."

"But he acts-"

"Sirius was so intent on breaking all ties with his family because of what they stand for…he never told anyone except James and me. He didn't want everyone to think he was just like them."

The scene faded again. "The locket," Dumbledore said. "That's four."

They were now in the great hall at the welcome feast listening to Dumbledore's speech while most of the hall stared or glared at Harry.

"…Professor Grubbly-Plank will temporarily replace Hagrid as the Care for Magical Creatures professor while Hagrid is out on personal time. Finally, the Defense against the Dark Arts post will be filled by Delores Umbridge. I am sure that all of you will do what you can to make both professors feel welcomed. Enjoy you-"

Dumbledore was interrupted by Umbridge, a small woman with a toad face, clearing her throat. As she began to speak, Harry turned to his friends.

"She was at the ministry, during my trial."

"This is bad," Hermione told them, "very bad."

"What's so bad about it?" Ron asked.

"It means the ministry is interfering at Hogwarts."

The scene sped up around them and the watched as everyone finished their meals and returned to their common rooms in fast forward. The scene slowed again as Harry entered the Gryffindor common room flanked by Ron and Hermione. "Dean, Seamus, good holiday?" Harry greeted his dormmates.

"Alright," Dean answered, "better than Seamus's."

Seamus dropped the newspaper he was holding and stood to confront Harry. "Me mam didn't want me to come back this year because of you. The Daily Prophet's been saying a lot of things about you and Dumbledore, Harry."

"And your mum believes them?"

"Well you were the only one there the night that Cedric died."

"Well you and your stupid mother can read the Prophet and they'll feed you all the lies your little hearts could desire," Harry countered and Seamus lunged.

Ron stepped in between them just in time to stop the Irish boy.

"He's mad!" Seamus told Ron. "Do you believe the rubbish he's saying about You-Know-Who?"

"His name is Voldemort," Hermione told him, "and I believe Harry."

"Me too," Ron told them.

"And us," the twins and Ginny said in unison.

"Me too!" Neville told him standing.

"Mione, you're supposed to be smart!" Seamus told her.

"And that's exactly why I believe Harry!" Hermione countered and left the room.

"Like we always tell Ron, mate-" Fred started.

"Don't doubt Mione. She's never wrong!" George finished. The scene faded once again.

When the scene reformed they were in the Defense classroom where the toad faced woman stood in front of the class talking about OWLS. "Miss Granger, is it?" the lady asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Hermione answered. "I don't see anything in here about using defensive spells."

"Why ever would you need to used defensive spells in my classroom?" the woman feigned ignorance.

"Maybe because Voldemort is back!" Harry told her.

"Mr. Potter, you will need to learn not to tell lies."

"It's not a lie!"

"That's enough Mr. Potter!"

"I don't think it is."

"Detention! My office, tonight!"

The scene swirled around them again and when it reformed they found themselves back in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione and Ron were doing homework in front of the fire when Harry came in and sat with them with a bloody towel over his hand.

"What's happened to you?" Hermione asked gingerly taking Harry's hand into her own.

"Nothing," Harry lied. "It's not a big deal."

Hermione removed the towel from Harry's hand and stared for a moment. "What the hell happened to him?" James asked.

"Accio dittany," Hermione called, flicking her wrist toward the girls' stairs before placing her wand in her lap and holding her hand up to catch a small bottle that came flying down the stairs. She found a clean segment of the towel and used it to dab the potion onto Harry's hand.

"I mustn't tell lies?" Ron read. "What the hell, mate?"

"I dunno," Harry told them. "Umbridge told me I'd be writing lines and to use her pen. And when I wrote it cut me and it…it used my blood for ink."

"Harry, you've got to tell McGonagall about this," Hermione urged.

"No, I can't. Thanks for the help, 'Mione. Do you have any more of that dreamless sleep drought?"

"You need some?"

"I have enough for tonight," Harry told her as he stood.

"I'll bring you some tomorrow then."

"Thanks," he called over his shoulder as he walked toward the stairs and the scene began to fade.

Sirius's grasp on Allison began to tighten. When she looked up at him she saw anger in his eyes and a clenched jaw. He was staring at James whose own jaw was clenched and tears were brimming in his eyes.

"His mum's family abuses him and the ministry tortures him?" James asked.

"It only gets worse from here," Allison told them with tears in her own eyes.

When the scene formed around them again, they were in the entrance hall of the school. The toad-faced professor was standing on the stairs addressing the school. "The situation here is worse than the ministry imagined. Henceforth, I will be taking over as Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There will be some changes."

The scene faded again.

They were in Hogsmeade, walking through the snow covered streets when the scene formed around them again. "Here we are," Hermione finally announced.

"The Hog's Head?" Harry asked.

"I figured it would be least crowded. The Three Broomsticks is always packed. We don't want anyone reporting us to Umbridge."

Harry only nodded as they entered the seemingly deserted pub.

"Wow," Ron breathed when they entered the room to see it packed full of students. "What do we do?" he asked, pushing Hermione to stand in front.

"Well," Hermione started looking incredibly uncomfortable in front of the group, "we all know why we're here. We need to learn how to defend ourselves," her voice cracked. "And we're not going to learn that at school."

"We need to learn because he says so?" a girl in Ravenclaw colors asked pointing at Harry.

"Because Dumbledore says so," Ron corrected.

"Dumbledore says so because he says so," an older Hufflepuff boy told said. "If he could give us some details…about that night."

"If you're here to hear about Cedric's death you can just leave now," Harry told the crowd, losing his temper.

Half of the crowd started to stand when a smaller girl with scraggly blonde hair and dreamy blue eyes spoke up, "Is it true you can produce a fully formed patronus?" Everyone stopped in their tracks and turned back to Harry awaiting an answer.

"It is," Hermione told them when Harry remained silent. "I've seen it."

"Blimey, Harry," Dean spoke up. "I never knew you could do that."

"And he killed a basilisk," Neville told the group, "with that sword in Dumbledore's office."

"It's true," Ginny confirmed, "during his second year."

"Third year he fought off about a hundred dementors at once," Ron told them.

"And last year he really did fight off Voldemort," Hermione finished as the room gasped.

"Wait," Harry finally spoke up. "It all sounds great, when you say it like that but I just got lucky all those times. And I nearly always had help. Hermione and Ron were with me most of the time and if they weren't fighting beside me they helped me prepare. In school you can try again tomorrow if you fail today but when you're out there and someone's trying to murder you or your friend…well you don't know what that's like."

"You're right, we don't but if we're going to have any chance against Voldemort, we need you to teach us," Hermione told him.

"He's really back?" Seasmus asked.

"Yes." The scene faded as everyone in the room lined up and started to sign a piece of paper labeled 'Dumbledore's Army.'

"Dumbledore's Army?" Dumbledore asked.

"The ministry forced you out and refused to teach us because they thought you were training an army to revolt against them," Allison told him with a small smile, "so we gave them one."

Hermione and Harry shared a compartment with Neville and the small blonde girl on the Hogwarts Express as the next scene formed.

"So what happened to Mr. Weasley?" Neville asked.

"He was working afterhours at the ministry and he was attacked by a snake or something," Harry answered as Hermione stared out the window.

"Hermione," the blonde girl asked, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Luna. Why do you ask?"

"You've been staring at the same page for half an hour."

"Mione, he'll be alright," Harry tried to comfort.

"I know, Harry. It's just…why couldn't we go with them? Why did we have to stay at the school for two extra days?"

"Because Umbridge is a-"

"Something you want to say, Longbottom?"" Draco asked as he opened the compartment door showing off a gleaming badge on his robes that read 'Inquisitorial Squad.'

"Only that you're a right foul git and should get out of my face, Malfoy," Neville snapped back surprising even himself.

"Watch your mouth," Draco started as Harry, Neville and Hermione stood.

"Or what?" Hermione asked, clenching her fists.

Draco didn't say another word. He only glared and left the room, slamming the door behind him. The scene faded again.

"St. Mungos?" James asked as the next scene formed. Harry and Hermione were following Lupin down a long corridor.

"Arthur's in the last room," Lupin told them, looking over his shoulder as he walked ahead.

They passed a room with an open door and Hermione looked inside before stopping in her tracks and grabbing Harry's arm.

"What?" Harry asked following her gaze.

"Is that…Neville?" Harry asked at the same time as Remus said, "Alice and Frank?"

Neville's head shot up at hearing his name. His face turned red as he looked toward the door.

"Are you coming?" Lupin asked and the scene faded.

They were back in the school when the scene formed around them again. Harry and Hermione were walking down the hall speaking in whispers. Fred and George were up ahead of them comforting a younger boy.

"Oh, no! Are they testing on students again?" Hermione asked.

"You didn't mind when they left the skiving snack box for the Inquisitorial Squad," Harry reminded her, laughing.

"That was different and you know it!" Hermione defended. "Anyway what were you saying about Snuffles?"

"He wants me to move in with him when all of this is over. Says we'll be a proper family."

"Harry that's wonderful!" Hermione told him as they neared the other three occupants of the hall.

"It's going to be alright," Fred was telling the boy.

"See?" George said, showing the boy his hand. "It barely hurts anymore."

"What's going on?" Harry asked. "Dennis, are you alright?"

Hermione took the boys hand. "It'll be alright. I have something to help it in the common room," she told him as the visitors crowded around.

"That pen again?" Regulus asked and Allison nodded.

"What's that on your hand?" Moody asked, looking closer at Hermione.

James grabbed Allison's right hand from around Sirius's back. "I am an insufferable know-it-all," he read as Sirius pulled away and took her hand from James.

"Why didn't I notice this before?" Sirius asked.

"Make up," Allison told him simply.

"…told you, naughty children deserve punishment," Umbridge told them as she blocked their path to the common room.

"You know, Fred, I've always thought our futures lied outside the area of academia," George told his twin as they watched Umbridge walk back into her office.

"I was just thinking the same thing Georgie," Fred replied as the scene faded.

When the next scene formed they were in a large room filled with students firing spells at dummies and each other.

"What is this place?" James asked.

"I'll tell you when we graduate," Allison answered, once again leaning into Sirius's side as he laughed.

"Dobby!" Harry was shouting as he grabbed a house elf by the shoulders to restrain it from hitting its own head against a wall. "Dobby what's wrong?"

"Dobby came to warn his friends," the house elf squeaked, gaining the attention of the whole room. "But Dobby was told not to by…by…by…"

"Umbridge?" Hermione asked ending her duel with Ginny. Dobby freed himself from Harry's grasp and ran head first into the wall.

"Does she know?" Ron asked.

"She's is coming."

The room was completely silent as everyone stood motionless and terrified. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry shouted. "RUN!"

The scene blurred slightly as thirty students ran for the door that just appeared in the back of the room.

"HARRY, COME ON!" Hermione yelled but Harry had returned for the house elf.

"Dobby, listen to me," Harry told him, "this is an order! Go back to the kitchens and if Umbridge asks you didn't tell us anything. LIE! And don't hurt yourself anymore!"

"Thank you, Harry Potter," the elf told him with tears of gratitude in his eyes, as Harry began running, easily catching up to Ron and Hermione who waited for him at the door.

Together they ran through the corridors and down stairs. It almost looked as though they were in the clear but out of nowhere someone shouted a jinx and Harry tripped. Another shout and Ron went stiff and fell to the ground. Hermione stopped only for a moment. Harry yelled at her to run but it was too late. Draco's ape-like goon of a friend had her in a headlock.

"Professor! Professor!" Draco shouted as he stood over Harry. "We've got three over here!" The scene began to face.

"Stupid, greasy git!" Snape grumbled. "Just like his father!"

When the next scene formed they were back in the great hall standing near the Gryffindor table and Harry, Hermione, the Weasleys and many others in the room gingerly rubbed their dominant hands.

"Who do you think told on us?" Ginny asked.

"We'll find out soon enough," Hermione replied, taking a bite of her breakfast.

Just then the door burst open and a girl in Ravenclaw colors stomped up to the Gryffindor table. She seemed to have a horrible rash on her face. As she approached the Weasley twins it became more evident that the pustules on her face spelled the word 'SNEAK'. George choked on his pumpkin juice and elbowed Fred in the side. Soon three tables of students were either laughing or glaring at the girl. "Get rid of it now!" she ordered the twins. "Right now!"

"We'd love to take credit for it," Fred told her through fits of laughter, "believe me, we would!"

"But sadly that's not our handiwork," George told her.

"Liars! I've tried everything and they won't go away! Get rid of them!"

"Maybe you should've tried keeping your big mouth shut!" Hermione told her with disdain in her voice and a disgusted look on her face. "Nothing will get rid of them. They fade with time but I suggest you don't pick at them. Wouldn't want them to scar, now would we?" The scene faded again as the twins stared at her with looks of pure admiration on their faces.

The next scene formed to show four houses of fifth years sitting in the Great Hall taking OWLS. Umbridge sat at the head of the room. Suddenly there was a loud crash and everyone's head shot up at once. Umbridge stood from her thrown-like chair and stomped toward the door but before she could get there it burst open.

The Weasley twins flew in and began throwing lit fireworks into the air. They shot to the ceiling where they exploded in bursts of beautiful fireworks. "Wild-fire Whiz-bangs," Harry told Hermione with a large smile on his face. Hermione was laughing so hard her face turned red as the sparks joined together to form a dragon head that chased Umbridge from the room with its jaws wide open. It cornered her in the corridor in front of the great hall and its wide jaws closed around her causing huge explosion that shook the walls. Hundreds of framed rules fell around her as the entire school flooded from the school and onto the grounds where the twins were sitting on their broomsticks bowing and waving to the cheering crowd that included many professors, even Snape.

Hermione, Harry and Ron stood in the middle of the crowd laughing and cheering along with everyone else. Suddenly Harry fell to the ground, clutching his forehead. With the loss of his yells in her ear, Hermione turned to see Harry on the ground. She dropped to her knees and together she and Ron pulled Harry from the ground and brought him inside. "Harry, what is it?" Hermione asked as they made their way up the stairs.

"Sirius," Harry cried. "He's got Sirius. We have to warn the Order!"

"What if he's making you see those things?" Hermione asked. "What if-"

"He's the only family I have," Harry told her ending that line of questioning.

"Okay then," Ron replied, "what do we do?"

"We warn the Order," Hermione told him simply. "You remember the password to Umbridge's office?"

"Yes," Harry told her, realization dawning on his face.

"It's the only floo in the school that isn't being monitored," she told them before they could protest.

They sprinted to the gargoyles that guarded the headmaster's office and Harry shouted the password. They barely waited for the gargoyles to jump out of the way before they were sprinting up the stairs. Harry grabbed some floo powder and fell to the floor calling Sirius's name with no answer.

"I have to get out of here," he told them.

"What do you suggest we do?" Hermione asked him this time.

"You do nothing. I have to do this."

"Harry," Hermione sighed, "when are you going to realize that we're in this together?"

"You couldn't be more right, Miss Granger," Umbridge said from behind them.

The scene fastforwarded as they watched Harry being strapped to a chair and Hermione and Ron were restrained by boys in Slytherin robes. One-by-one Luna, Neville, and Ginny were lead in kicking and screaming. Snape came in at one point and mumbled something to Umbridge. Harry yelled something at him to which Snape turned up his nose and left the room.

"Harry told Snape that they had 'Padfoot in the place where it's hidden'," Allison told them as Umbridge pointed her wand at Harry. "Now she's threatening to Crucio him."

Hermione yelled something and Umbridge stopped. She pointed her wand at Harry and Hermione as she led them out of her office, through the halls, onto the grounds and into the Dark Forrest where she was attacked, first by a giant, then by a band of centaurs. The scene slowed as she was dragged deep into the forest yelling for Harry to tell the centaurs that she meant them no harm.

Harry only held up his right hand, showing her the back of it. "I can't professor. I mustn't tell lies!" Hermione and Harry turned and ran back to the school grounds where they were met by Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Ron. "How'd you get away?"

"Puking Pastilles," Ron told them.

"It wasn't pretty," Ginny added.

"So what do we do now?" Neville asked Harry.

"Look I really appreciate all your help but this is something I need to do on my own," Harry told them, turning his back on the group.

"Dumbledore's Army was supposed to be about doing something real," Neville protested.

"You're not going alone, mate," Ron told him.

"If you don't let us go with you, we'll just follow you," Ginny threatened.

"Fine," Harry relented. "How do we get to London?"

"We fly of course," Luna told them.

The scene fastforwarded as they mounted some sort of invisible creatures and took flight, landing moments later in a quiet London street. The teens ran into the ministry and through corridors until they were in a dark room lined with rows of shelves covered in dusty crystal balls. "Harry, this one has your name on it," Neville said as the scene slowed down. His eyes grew wide.

The teens were surrounded by dark hooded creature advancing on them with their wands drawn.

"Ickle baby Longbottom," a woman cackled.

"Bella?" Sirius asked.

"This is the end of your fifth year," Regulus told Allison.

"It is."

"Do we get to get find out what you heard that day in Defense?" James asked.

"You do," Allison answered with tears already brimming in her eyes.

"How are your parents?" Bellatrix asked.

"Better now that they're about to be avenged!" Neville yelled, drawing his wand.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix yelled first.

"Protego!" Neville countered. The battle was on and the teens were fighting their way to the door in a blur of red and green flashes.

They finally made it to the door after destroying almost every ball in the room. Harry held the one labeled with his name as the group burst through the door and fell into an almost empty room. All that stood in the room was a stone archway with a veil that swayed even though there was no wind.

Harry walked toward the veil with a curious look on his face and his head cocked to the side. "What are they saying?" he asked.

Everyone except Luna looked at him as though he'd lost his mind. "Nothing, mate," Ron told him. "We don't hear a-"

"I hear it too, Harry," Luna cut him off in her dreamy voice.

"Just what he wants," Ron mumbled. "to hear things and have Loonie Lovegood agree with him."

"Shut up, Ronald," Hermione ordered, stepping closer to Harry. "We need to find a place to hide until the Order gets here."

"What does he hear?" Dumbledore asked.

"Dead people," Allison told him, "from behind the veil. Only someone who's witnessed death can hear them. It's the same reason he and Luna can see the threstils and the rest of us couldn't."

"Couldn't?" Sirius asked. "You mean at some point you'll be able to?"

Allison didn't answer. The Death Eaters had joined the scene, their masks being removed as they entered the room. The students fought valiantly seeing as they were outnumbered two to one by fully trained murderers. It took only minutes for the Death Eaters to have all but Harry restrained. Lucius Malfoy stood in the center of the room speaking with Harry.

"Don't you want to know why?" he asked. "The Dark Lord had a reason for coming after you that night. Don't you want to know what it was? We have all your little friends. We can do unspeakable things to them and we will unless you hand over that prophecy!"

"Don't do it Harry," Neville called from his place being restrained by Bellatrix.

"They'll be begging for death when we're through with them."

"Don't listen to him Harry!" Hermione yelled this time.

"Let them go or I'll smash it!" Harry ordered. "You can have me but you let them leave!"

"You're a pretty little mudblood," the Death Eater restraining Hermione began to whisper in her ear. "The things I'll do to you while you wait for your death." His hands started to travel down her chest.

Seeing this Harry through the globe to the ground, letting it smash into hundreds of tiny piece as he ran toward Hermione. "Get your hands off of her you bastard!" He yelled with his wand drawn.

"Petrificus totalus!" two voices yelled from behind and the man holding Hermione fell to the floor.

"Alright 'Mione?" Black asked as he ran past the frightened girl toward his godson.

Lupin stayed by her side as the battle began again. More Order members were arriving now. They saw Kingsley, Tonks, Moody, and Dumbledore enter the room. Each order member rushed to the aid of a different student. Tonks took Luna, Moody was with Ron, Dumbledore was helping Neville, and Kingsley was by Ginny's side. Sirius and Harry were in the center of the room, near the veil, battling Malfoy and LeStrange, who'd left Neville to Nott when she saw her cousin enter the scene.

"Protego!" Harry yelled, blocking a slashing curse.

"Crucio!" Malfoy tried but was met with a total body bind from Hermione who seemed to be holding her own in her and Remus's duel with Dolohov and Avery.

Things seemed to working in the Order's favor then… "Avada Kedavra!" LeStrange yelled and the teens watched in horror as Black was hit with the killing curse.

"NO!" Hermione and Ron yelled. Harry was lunging to grab the body before it fell into the veil. Seeing this, Lupin abandoned his duel and dove to grab Harry before her could fall with Black behind the veil. The noise in the room grew as the whispers from beyond the veil could be heard by all.

It was all the distraction the Death Eaters needed. Dolohov grabbed Hermione round the waist and held her to him. Soon, all of the students and many in the Order were restrained watching Harry crying in the middle of the room as he was taunted by Bellatrix LeStrange. "Going to cry, Potter?" she spat.

Getting angry, Harry shook off Lupin's restraint and shot curse after curse and LeStrange who skillfully dodged them all and began running form the room chanting "I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!" The visitors watched on in horror and Allison started to shake with her sobs as Harry took off after LeStrange. Lupin and Dumbledore chased after him as the chanting grew quieter.

The Death Eater restraining Hermione began to cackle in her ear but it didn't last long. She threw her head back, hitting him hard and causing him to drop his wand as he stumbled backwards. Hermione grabbed his wand from the ground and started shooting off spells with both hands as she ran after Harry, freeing many of her friends. Malfoy tried to stop her at the door, dropping Neville in the process.

"You arse of a son had to learn the hard way too," Hermione told him as she balled up her fist and hit him square in the nose. She grabbed his wand while he was distracted and broke it over her leg, throwing it back over her shoulder as she continued to run. She ran as hard as she could until she was back in the lobby where she tripped over Lupin who lay injured on the floor. Harry and Dumbledore were facing off with Voldemort and Harry looked…possessed?

Hermione kneeled to help Lupin, to pull him behind a wall for protection. Harry looked at her while she was doing this. Their eyes met and for a split second she saw rage in her best friends eyes before they softened and he turned back to Voldemort.

You're the weak one, Tom," Harry told Voldemort. "And you'll never know love. I feel sorry for you!"

Just then the floos started to activate and the lobby was flooded with ministry officials and employees. The minister for magic was at the front of the group. He stopped in his tracks as he saw the destruction before him. "He's back."

Voldemort disapparated on the spot. As the scene faded once again.

a/n: I had to rush through this one because the fifth book/movie just makes me angry! Hope you enjoyed. Hope more that you review. It's 20 pages long on my word doc!


	22. Chapter 22

"Is that it?" Severus asked. "What you hear from the dementor?"

"I hear her," Allison told them, sobs evident in her voice. "Bella. Chanting."

For the first time Sirius noticed how upset she was by the last scene. Wrapping both arms tightly around her he placed a kiss on the top of her head. "It's okay," he told her. "I'm right here."

"That's why you drew your wand?" Regulus asked. "You're first day of school when Sirius was showing you around?"

"I drew my wand because I hate her," Allison corrected. "I hate her for Sirius and for Alice and Frank and for everyone else that bitch has hurt. She should pay for it!"

"My parents weren't happy when they saw the article," Hermione told Lupin as they walked together down Diagon Alley. The next scene had already formed around them while they were talking. It was well past dark and the streets were deserted. They were walking with their arms full of bags toward the only open business in the entire street, a sign in its window flashed bright purple advertising something called You-No-Poo, the constipation sensation sweeping the nation. "They're going to get themselves killed if they're not careful," she told him pointing at the store before getting back on subject. "They almost didn't let me come with you today or even go back to school this year. Even the muggles know that something's going on. I'm surprised they're letting me stay at the Weasleys this summer."

"Yes, I've had many long discussions with them about it…both of them," he answered, gesturing toward the store. "I managed to convince your parents that it is in both your and Harry's best interest for you to return to school. They know that they wouldn't be able to protect you if someone came to the house looking for you."

"How is Harry?"

"I haven't heard from him yet this summer. I imagine that he's glad to see Sirius's name cleared but I doubt it's any consolation considering…" Lupin trailed off as they entered the store they viewers now knew was Weasley Wizarding Wheezes thanks to the sign.

"Customer?" George yelled from the back as Fred greeted them, locked the door and turned the sign to closed.

"Nope. Mione and Lupin," Fred yelled back to his brother before lowering his voice to speak to them. "Meeting's upstairs in our flat. What do you think of the store Mione?"

"I think you're going to get yourselves murdered, taunting Voldemort like this," she told him as she followed through the store.

"Business is great though," Fred defended with a laugh. "Most shops are only getting owl business now but we have a steady stream of customers every day."

They had now entered the small flat above the shop, that looked even smaller holding the many Order members. "Remus," Mrs. Weasley chastised, "couldn't you bring Mione back to the burrow before the meeting?"

"Actually, Molly," Dumbledore told her, "Alistar and I asked him to bring Miss Granger here tonight. She will be offered membership into the Order in a few short months and we thought it appropriate that she have the experience of the meetings in advance."

"Membership?" Mrs. Weasley protested, "She's only going to be a sixth year!"

"Yes," Mad-Eye told her, "but considering the way those kids fought at the ministry last month, we've decided to make a few exceptions."

"What exceptions?"

"They've decided," Mr. Weasley told his wife, "to offer Hermione, Harry, Neville, Luna, Ron and Ginny membership into the Order on their seventeenth birthdays regardless of whether they've completed Hogwarts of not."

"NOT MY BABIES!" Mrs. Weasley yelled as the scene faded.

The scene re-formed to show Hermione alone and stumbling through the darkness toward a tall, crooked house that could only be held together by magic. There was a single light on in the bottom floor of the house. Hermione entered into that room through a door in the back garden.

"Harry?" Hermione asked in a very soft whisper. "When did you get here?" They were inside the same kitchen where Hermione had shared ice cream with the two oldest Weasley sons.

"A few hours ago," Harry answered. Pouring two cups of tea.

"Why are you still up?"

"Couldn't sleep," he told her through a yawn. "Besides, no one knows I'm here yet. Don't want to stumble in to Ron's room and have him hex me or…um…walk in on something."

Hermione's nose crinkled in disgust even as she laughed along with him. "Ow!" she squeaked as she stepped wrong and fell against the counter.

"Sit," Harry ordered as he jumped from his chair to stop her from falling to the floor. Helping her to one chair, he pulled a second closer so she could prop her leg. "What happened?" he asked grabbing an ice pack from the freezer.

"I sprained my ankle."

"Really? I couldn't tell?"

"It was a trap. We set it up to try to lure some of the Death Eaters that escaped the ministry. I was the bait."

"Moody again?" Harry asked as he lifted her foot and replaced it on his own lap to inspect.

"Moonie this time," she answered before inhaling a sharp breath. "We caught Nott and Dolohov."

"Not LeStrange? Does this hurt?" he asked pushing her foot so that it bent the ankle slightly.

Hermione squealed. "Yes!"

"Sorry. I think it's broken. We should wake Mrs. Weasley."

"No. She's already upset that I'm going on missions. It can wait till morning."

"You won't be able to sleep like this!" Harry protested.

"That makes two of us then doesn't it? Did you run out of dreamless sleep drought?" she asked taking in the dark circles under his eyes.

"About a week ago," he answered. "Haven't slept more than a few hours at a time since."

"Well I guess that gives us something to do tonight," she told him. "My potions supplies and ingredients are in Percy's old room." Harry nodded, replaced her foot on the chair and headed out of the room. "Oh, Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"We didn't find her yet."

"I figured."

"We will!"

"I know we will."

The scene faded once again into a swirling mist.

"I can't believe you lot will get to go on missions and Ginny and I won't," Ron grumbled as the next scene formed. He, Harry, Hermione, Neville, Luna and Ginny were sitting together in a compartment aboard the Hogwarts Express.

"I was surprised myself when Gran agreed to it," Neville told him. "Think she was kind of proud though, too. When she read about the battle in the Prophet."

"Father supports Harry and Dumbledore fully," Luna told them in her dreamy voice. "I wasn't the least bit surprised that he agreed."

"I wasn't the least bit surprised…" Ron grumbled.

"Oh, honestly, Ronald! It's only because your mother worries," Hermione told him, rubbing a lump on her forehead. "It's a good thing."

"Dad will talk some sense into her," Ginny soothed as the door slid open and Dean and Seamus stepped in.

"Hullo," Dean greeted as Ginny stood and hugged him. Harry's eyes narrowed slightly but he greeted the boy with a wave before turning to the window.

"Mione?" Seamus asked, "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," Hermione said, standing and following Seamus, Dean and Ginny out of the room as the scene faded again.

When the next scene formed Hermione and Harry were walking up the stairs toward the boys' dormitory. "What did Dumbledore want?" Hermione asked.

"He's going to show me memories so we can learn more about Voldemort," Harry whispered. "He said he'll take me on a mission once we find what we need."

"What do you need?" Hermione asked, excited.

"I don't know yet. It involves Slughorn though. He had the diary out on his desk."

"Riddle's diary?"

"Yeah, and a ring but it was cracked down the middle, like someone stabbed it."

"Strange."

"He said they were both Voldemorts," Harry told her as he held the door to his dormitory open. "Hi Shay," he greeted when he walked into the room to see Seamus bent over a book on his bed.

"Hi, Harry," Seamus greeted without looking up.

"I need to get in the shower Mione," Harry told her grabbing a towel from his trunk.

Seamus's head shot up. "Mione! Can you help me?"

"Of course," Hermione agreed as Harry left the room.

"I can't see these constellations from the window and this stupid curfew…I'm trying to do the work from these old pictures but I'm not getting it," Seamus explained.

Hermione climbed onto the bed with him and pointed her wand at the canopy. They sat on the bed together straining their necks to look at the canopy above them as Hermione pointed out different stars and planets to him. After ten minutes she was rubbing her neck.

"Lay down," Seamus suggested as he did so himself. "It's much better this way."

Hermione followed his advice and lay with her feet toward the end of the bed while his were toward the pillows. Their heads were next to each other as Hermione continued to point things out and Seamus asked questions.

Only moments later, the door opened and Harry walked in drying his hair. "Shay, did Mione say if she was going to bed or in the…" he started before turning to the bed. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU TWO THINK YOU'RE DOING!"

"Wow," Sirius told her, "no wonder James reminds you of Harry." Allison giggled.

"Um, studying?" Hermione answered sitting up.

"On the bed?"

"She projected the stars on the canopy," Seamus told him.

"What about a window?"

"We can't see the right constellations from the window," Hermione reasoned.

"Then go outside!"

"Curfew," Seamus told him.

"Mione, I think you should leave."

Hermione stood and left without another word. Once she was in the hall with the door closed the room erupted in shouts and the scene faded again.

When the next scene formed Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Dean, Seamus, and Luna were sitting in the Great Hall. Hermione had a small stack of gifts in front of her.

"Happy birthday, Hermione," Dobby the house elf said as he placed a small cake in front of her.

"Thank you, Dobby," Hermione told him smiling as Harry pushed the pile of presents to her.

"Open!" he told her. "You have to hurry! They're going to take you soon!"

"Okay, okay," she laughed taking a present from the stack.

"That's from me," Luna told her as she opened the gift and stared quizzically. "Spectrespecs. Wear them to find nargles. They're very helpful."

"Thank you, Luna," Hermione laughed as she reached for another gift.

"That's mine," Harry told her, bouncing in his seat.

"Harry, it's beautiful!" Hermione gasped as she opened the velvet jewelry box.

"You like it?"

"I love it! Can you help me put it on?" Harry nodded and clasped the white gold bracelet around her wrist.

"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said from behind her, "May I please speak with you?"

"Yes, ma'am," Hermione answered, standing.

Harry gave her hand a tight squeeze and whispered, "You'll be great" as the everyone felt a pull at their navels and they were deposited on the floor of the Potters living room.

a/n: Review! Review! Review!


	23. Chapter 23

Allison groaned and pushed Sirius off of her. They were so interwined that when they came shooting from the penseive eight of the ten people landed in a tangled heap on the floor. Looking out the window she saw that the sun was starting to rise outside.

"Breakfast?" Elizabeth offered. "I've made breakfast. Everyone to the dining room."

"Mum cooks when she's nervous," James explained. "This will probably be better than the house elves at Hogwarts can make."

"Thank you, Elizabeth," Arthur told her, "but I should get home to Molly."

"We'll see you at Christmas?" Harold asked as he escorted Arthur to the fireplace.

"Yes, of course."

Elizabeth Potter had already left the room and could be heard bustling around the kitchen. Severus, Remus, and Regulus were leaving the room behind Dumbledore. "Aren't you coming?" James asked when Allison left him, headed for the staircase.

"I just want to go to sleep," Allison yawned.

"But…"

"We'll talk later," Allison told him, "Promise."

"How'd you know I wanted to talk?"

"You're too much like Harry," she told him simply before leaving the room.

Sirius and Moody were the only two left in the room. As Sirius made a move to leave he was restrained by a strong hand on his shoulder. "I thought I told you," Moody grumbled "Hands off my daughter."

"Actually," Sirius corrected, "James said hands off. You said lips off."

"And yet I saw both hands and lips on today. Sit!"

"Yes sir," Sirius gulped as he sat on the couch in front of Moody.

"I don't like your kind," Moody told him.

"But I-"

"Are you a virgin, boy?"

Sirius turned bright red before answering, "No. But it was only one girl and I really did think that I loved her."

"And you dumped her? Broke her heart?"

"Other way around actually. Besides, I wouldn't do that to Allie."

"And why's that?"

"Because I love her!" Sirius almost shouted.

"You're seventeen!"

"And? You showed us your memory didn't you? Were you watching?"

"I lived them!"

"Then you know that we were married. Before she decided to go back in time to go forward in time, we were married and we were married at nineteen."

"And you really think you can handle that? You really plan on marrying her?"

"I do," Sirius answered with confidence. "I love her and she loves me. And if she'll have me I'll spend the rest of my life with her."

Slb slb slb

Allison fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow but she didn't stay asleep long. She tossed and turned for an hour while her recurring nightmare from the summer replayed in her head once again! "No!" she mumbled in her sleep.

"Allie?" James asked as he entered her room carrying a tray full of breakfast foods. "You alright?"

"No!" she yelled this time. "Sirius! NO!"

"What the hell! Allie," James said, shaking her. "Allie, wake up!"

Allison shot up in bed, dripping with cold sweat and breathing heavy. "Damn it!" she mumbled, wiping the sweat from her face and throwing the blankets off of herself.

"What was that?"

"Nightmare," she answered simply. "They went away for a while since I got here but…never mind."

"You have nightmares about Sirius's death?" James asked. "I thought that was just Harry."

Allison shook her head, "I never told him. I didn't want him to worry so I kept it to myself."

"You really cared about him didn't you?"

"After seeing all that you still have to ask?" James only shrugged. "It's like asking if you really care about Sirius. He's my best friend, James. I didn't have any friends before Hogwarts. Everyone thought I was too weird. I doubt I'll every have another friend like him," she told him, crying.

"I'm your friend," James comforted.

"It's not the same. I love you and I'm glad to have you looking out for me but it'll never be the same."

James nodded. "I get it. So…"

"You want to ask about Harry, don't you?" He nodded. "Go ahead then."

"You don't mind?"

She shook her head. "I think I like it that you know actually. It'll feel good to be able to talk to someone about everything."

"What did he hear when the dementors attacked them?" he asked crawling onto the bed with her and laying the food out between them.

Allison took a deep breath before answering. "Lily," she told him, "screaming. He was never sure if it was a real memory because he was so young when it happened." James hung his head as she spoke. "James, do you know what the Mirror of Erised is?"

"What's that have to do with anything?" he mumbled.

"The Mirror of Erised shows you your deepest desire. The first time Harry looked into it all he saw was himself standing with you and Lily-"

"I get it," James cut her off. "I'm a failure as a father. My wife dies because I can't protect her and my son is sent to live with her relatives who abuse him." He stood to leave the room. "He'll probably hate me."

"James, do you want to know Harry's happiest memory, the one he thinks of when he conjures his patronus?" James stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around. "He saw that. The three of you standing together in the mirror. Harry never hated you. He never could!" she told him standing from the bed and forcibly turning him to look at her. "When Voldemort came back he taunted Harry, told him that when he came to your house you and Lily were sitting on the couch watching a muggle TV. Your wands weren't anywhere near you and you met him without one to try to stall. You knew you wouldn't live, James. You couldn't possibly think that you could live through it but you met him anyway, to give Lily time to get Harry and get out of the house. You're his hero!" she told him crying. "Besides, that's not going to happen. I won't let it."

"You think you can stop it?"

"I know I will. I'll do whatever it takes. Harry deserves better than that life."

James's eyes widen as he realized what she was saying. "Allie, you can't put yourself in danger for this."

"I'll do what it takes, James," she argued. "I knew what I was getting myself into when I joined the Order."

"You're my friend. I may not be Harry but I love you, too, and I can't let you put yourself in danger."

"Harry would," she grumbled causing James to laugh.

"It looks as though he'd only allow it if he was by your side." Allison smiled and sat back on the bed. "Maybe I should be by your side."

"James, no!"

"James!" Sirius called from the hallway. "Lily's owl is sitting on your dresser. Hey," he said opening the door, "you're up?"

"We'll talk later," James told her as he left the room.

"Talk about what?" Sirius asked as he joined Allison, sitting on the bed.

"Nothing important," she lied. "What's up?"

"Thought you were going to sleep?" he answered her question with one of his own.

"Nightmare."

"Oh are you…"

"It's no big deal," she told him to avoid any further questions.

He nodded. "Okay. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

He looked embarrassed for a moment before asking, "Are you sure nothing happened with you and Harry?"

"Positive. He's my best friend. Is that all?" she asked seeing that he still looked upset.

"You were the most important person in that quidditch star's life," he said it as a statement but she knew the question behind it.

"Viktor was my boyfriend but it wasn't that serious."

"You were the more important person in his life," Sirius reminded her.

"His parents passed away during his sixth year of school," Allison told him. "He was never sure who his friends were because of his fame. Girls followed him around, giggling and acting stupid. I didn't care about any of that. He knew I liked him for who he was. He knew I was really his friend and that was important to him."

"Did you love him?"

"Are you jealous of someone who's only a year old right now?"

"Maybe a little."

Allison leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "No. You're the only person I've ever been in love with."

"Ron?" he joked.

Allison rolled her eyes laughing.

a/n: I like reviews. I don't consider "Update soon" a review. I will update as I have time to update. I will appreciate good constructive feedback as you feel compelled to give it. Please review. Also, it will be a few days before I can update. Exams!


	24. Chapter 24

"Ten minutes," James announced as Allison and Sirius sat cuddled together on the couch in his bedroom. "Dad and I leave to pick up Lily in ten minutes!"

"Really?" Sirius teased. "Because it seems like only a minute ago it was eleven minutes."

"Shove off, Pads!" James grumbled as he left the room.

"So I talked to Dumbledore after your meeting last night," Sirius told her when James was out of earshot. "Why didn't you tell me that the 'nothing' you and James have been discussing is him wanting to join the Order?"

"Because it's not important!" Allison argued.

"It bloody well is!" Sirius argued back. "Your safety is incredibly important to me!"

"That's not what I meant. It's not important because it's never going to happen. Dumbledore won't let him join. He doesn't have the experience."

"Yeah, that's what he said too," Sirius grumbled.

"Not you too."

"Of course me too! If you're going to fight dangerous murdering lunatics I want to be by your side. I don't want you fighting alone!"

"I've never been alone," Allison attempted to soothe. "And I haven't even been on a mission since I've been here."

"But you might."

"And I'll have plenty of pe-"

"Five minutes!" James announced, busting through the door. "We're leaving to get Lily in five minutes. I expect you at the floo on time, Allie." Sirius through a couch cushion at James, who skillfully dodged it. "Lily's coming! Lily's spending Christmas Eve with me," he continued, turning only to run into Severus. "Oh, um, sorry Sev."

"I already told you I have a girlfriend," Severus replied, rolling his eyes.

"And yet you won't tell us who she is," James countered, eyebrows raised.

"I can't," Severus corrected.

"Uh huh."

"Oh, just shut up already. I need to talk to Allie."

"After we get home," James replied before turning to Allison. "PLEEEEASSSSE!" he begged when she didn't move.

"Oh, fine!" Allison groaned pushing herself up from the couch.

Slb slb slb

"Allie!" Lily practically cheered as she opened the door and launched herself at the other girl. "Oh, it's so good to see you!"

"Um, you too," Allison replied hugging Lily.

"My sister's fiancé and his miserable family are here," Lily muttered in her ear. "I can't stand them! Especially Marge!"

Allison went stiff as the blonde haired horse face of Petunia Evans appeared in the doorway. "Oh, great! Your freaky friends are here! Leave!" Lily obeyed, grabbing her coat from the closet by the door and stepping into the night.

"Don't you want to say goodbye to your parents?" Mr. Potter asked.

"Mum and Dad both passed away last summer in a car accident," Lily answered, hanging her head. "On their way home from dropping me off at the train station."

"I'm sorry to hear that dear," Mr. Potter told her. "Don't you have any other family?"

"No. Just me and Tuny. She hates having me here but Alice's parents don't have any room for me so she puts up with me on breaks."

Mr. Potter gave a sad nod of understanding as the door opened again. "You're still here?" Petunia asked but continued without waiting for Lily's response. "Well good. I'd like to speak with your little boyfriend's father."

"He's just a friend," Lily protested but was ignored by her sister.

"What's your living situation?"

"Well I can assure you," Mr. Potter told her with the utmost respect, "that both my wife and I, along with Allie's father and a few other adults, will be home all evening to chaperone-"

"Yes. Yes," Petunia waved him off. "What I'm asking is if you have room for Lily for the rest of the break? I'd love to get rid of her," Petunia sneered.

Lily looked like she would cry as James wrapped an arm around her shoulder and Allison took her hand. "Of course we have room," Mr. Potter replied with a fake smile on his tensing face. "If Lily would like, she's more than welcome to stay for the rest of the break. We can put another bed in Allie's room."

"I'll go get my things," Lily told them as she returned to the house.

James made to follow her but was blocked by Petunia and a walrus sized man who just joined her in the doorway. "Your kind isn't welcome in this house," the man that Allison recognized as Vernon Dursley told then as he shut the door in their faces.

"Did you know about her parents?" Allison and James asked at the same time.

"Apparently not," Allison muttered. They continued to wait in silence.

Slb slb slb

"Allie!" Charlie Weasley cheered as he stepped out of the fireplace holding his older brother's hand. In a flash he was sprinting across the room into Allison's arms. "Allie, you look pretty," he told her as she stooped down to pick him up.

"Thank you, Charlie," Allison replied, laughing. "You're looking quite handsome tonight as well."

"Hello, love," Sirius said as he walked up behind her, putting an arm around her waist. "Who's this little guy?" he asked in an overly sweet voice.

"Who you?" Charlie barked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm Sirius, mate. What's your name?"

"I Charlie! Why your arm round Allie?"

Sirius laughed as Allison walked away to join Severus on the other side of the room. "She's my girlfriend," Sirius explained.

"I don't like you!"

Slb slb slb

"You really think you can do it?" Allison whispered to Severus as they stood alone in the corner of the room.

"I think so," Severus replied. "Do you think he'll go for it?"

"Are you kidding me? Didn't you see his face when he heard about the potion? He'll help, I'm sure of it."

"Do you know who invented it?"

Allison shook her head. "No. There's nothing about the potion master in anything I've ever read about it. For all I know it could've always been you." Severus nodded. "What do you know about Lily's parents?" Allison asked changing the subject.

He raised his eyebrows. "They're really nice," he told her. "Sister's horrible, though. Why do you ask?"

"You didn't know that they died?"

"No, I didn't," he answered, looking across the room where Lily laughed with James. "Is she alright?"

"Seems to be. She didn't tell anyone but Alice about it though."

Just then James passed on his way to refill Lily's pumpkin juice. "He's good for her, isn't he?" Severus asked.

"I think so."

a/n: Sorry about the wait. Please review while I work on the next chapter. Also TO THE PERSON WHO CONTINUES TO ONLY WRITE "Please update soon" I've already said I will update as I feel like updating. Your posts do nothing but upset me. I get it. You like the story and want to read me but when you post the same review for every chapter it makes me less likely to do as you ask.


	25. Chapter 25

"James has been very sweet tonight, don't you think?" Lily asked as she and Allison lay in bed that night.

"He's always very sweet, Lily," Allison corrected.

"Yes but tonight…"

"Lily loves James! Lily loves James!" Allison sang, laughing.

"Hush! Sh! Please!" Lily begged. "He might hear you!"

"So you do?" Allison gasped.

"Maybe a little," Lily replied quietly.

"Lumos," Allison said giggling and shined the light on Lily's face. "Blushing!"

"Allie," they heard Regulus whisper as he knocked on the door.

"Come in," Allison called.

Regulus barely stuck his head in the door. "Can I talk to you out here?"

"Sure," Allison answered stepping out of bed and pulling her dressing gown on. She quietly padded across the floor and into the hallway, closing the door behind her. "What's up?"

Slb slb slb

It was an uneventful few days that followed the Christmas Eve party. The next morning presents were exchanged and a large homemade feast was prepared and eaten together in the Potter's dining room. The boys practiced quidditch in the expansive back yard for the next five days while Allison and Lily decorated their new shared bedroom with the help of Mrs. Potter. Mr. Potter disappeared early the morning after Christmas and had sent one owl since he'd been gone. No one seemed to know where he was off too, or at least that's how it seemed to Lily Evans.

It wasn't until the evening of December 30th that Mr. Potter returned home to see the many residents of his home crowded around the small kitchen table. "If we take in anymore we'll have to eat in the dining room," he laughed, kissing his wife on the cheek and patting his son on the back.

Lily looked down at her plate and Sirius stage whispered to her, "He's only joking! Mum and Dad have a thing for us strays!"

"Yes, son," Mr. Potter laughed with him. "You are a pleasure…sometimes. Miss Evans, I think will be much more bearable, however." The entire table laughed at this.

Sirius let out a series of incoherent grumbles before he pulled it together enough to ask, "How'd the mission go?"

The teens perked up at this, though Allison feigned disinterest. She'd hear all about it later. Lily looked quizzically at the teenaged boys in the room, then to Mr. Potter.

"Later, son," Mr. Potter assured him.

"Later when?" James asked looking anxious.

"Tonight," Mr. Potter told his son. "Eat. Albus and Alastor should be here soon."

Mrs. Potter stared at her husband.

"They'd like to hear James's and Sirius's argument on…well, the issue. And I hear that Reg has some important information for us."

"What's he talking about?" Lily whispered as someone knocked on the door.

"Albus," Mrs. Potter greeted opening the door. "Come in! Come in! Would you like some dinner?"

"I…um…can't tell you," Allison stuttered.

"All will be revealed in time, Miss Evans," Professor Dumbledore assured.

Two chairs fell to the floor drawing the attention on the room. James and Sirius were now on their feet, still struggling to chew two very full mouthfuls of food. "Re-wee," they said simultaneously spitting bits of food across the table.

"Lovely," Lily and Allison answered in unison with identical crinkled noses.

The door burst open and in hobbled Allison's father with one leg replaced from the knee down by a wooden stump.

"Dad?" Allison asked, jumping from her chair. "What happened?"

"Death Eater," Alastor replied, accepting his daughter's hug as he continued through the kitchen. "The others should be arriving soon. I'll be in the parlor." Allison, Professor Dumbledore and Mr. Potter followed him out of the room as James and Sirius ran to catch up.

"Lily, Severus, would you two mind helping me clean up?" Mrs. Potter asked, knowing that he husband would fill her in on the details that night. "Regulus, you should join them."

Regulus nodded and dropped the plates he was carrying onto the counter before leaving through the same door his brother had just exited through.

Soon many witches and wizards that Lily recognized from the years ahead of her in school and some she knew to be parents of her friends were arriving, greeting Mrs. Potter with a friendly hug or wave before leaving the kitchen through the same door.

"What's happening?" Lily asked as Gideon and Fabian Prewett entered the kitchen with their sister Molly, her husband Arthur Weasley, and their three young children.

"All will be revealed soon enough," Fabian, who was only two years old than she answered with a friendly smile as he held the door open. Turning he called, "Oi, Dean, get a move on! The meeting's starting soon!"

Allison was sitting between James and Sirius in the back row as Regulus squirmed next to his brother. "You'll be fine, Reg," she assured as the last five chairs filled at the front of the room.

"First order of business," Dumbledore told them as he took his place at the head of the room, "Regulus Black has some information that he thinks will be beneficial to us. Regulus?"

Regulus stumbled to his feet and joined Dumbledore at the front of the room. "I…um…I…Sir," he whispered something to Dumbledore who replied just a quietly and Regulus nodded. "I think I know the location of a possible horcrux. It's a locket that once belonged to Salazar Slytherin himself. Voldemort left it with my parents for safe keeping. I saw it last over the summer holiday and as of then I could open it. It wasn't like it is in Allie's memories. I could open it easily."

"So now we know where it is," one of the late comers in the front of the room said, "how do we get to it?"

"Kreacher," Allison answered from the back of the room.

"No," Sirius grumbled.

"Hush," she reprimanded quietly before addressing the room again. "Kreacher likes Reg. If he orders the elf to bring us the locket and keep quiet about it, Kreacher will do it. He's still in servitude to all of the Blacks, whether they've been disowned or not. It's something he constantly complained about—Sirius not being a Black anymore but him still having to serve him like he is."

"I can call him," Regulus offered.

"Thank you, Regulus," Dumbledore replied, "but I will discuss that with you further after the meeting. If you could please return to the parlor, I believe your friends will be finished with their chores by now."

Regulus nodded and left the room.

"Next order of business. Alastor, if you would?"

"The ring and diary have been destroyed," Moody grumbled as he hobbled to the front of the room. "Late last night, Potter, the Prewitts, Daniel, and I performed two blitz attacks. We breached both the Malfoy manage and the Nott residences and took many things from each. Claiming suspicion of Dark magic influence at the Nott residence and our double agent helped us sneak in to the Malfoy place. Among these things we took were the diary and the ring." He held one in each hand and showed their remains.

"And the double agent?" a woman Allison recognized as Sirius's first cousin and Tonks's mother asked.

"Was fine when we left her last night. Haven't heard from her yet today."

"Her?" Sirius asked.

Allison shrugged. "I don't know. This is my first real meeting with this Order. I have my suspicions, though."

"You haven't heard from her yet?" Andromeda Tonks nee Black asked again.

"It's not a strange occurrence. She has to keep her cover. Who would she be owling? She's with her family in her fiancé's family home." Recognition covered Sirius's face as Moody spoke. "If we don't hear from her by the first of the year we will send a rescue party."

Andromeda seemed to be appeased by this and allowed Dumbledore to continue with the meeting. He told them that he was looking into possible horcruxes and would set up a subcommittee for further research. Allison was asked to lead the committee and in return she asked that the Lovegoods be asked to join the Order stating that she was sure they would be a valuable asset in finding horcruxes. Finally, the moment that James and Sirius were waiting for came an hour and a half into the meeting. It was the last order of business.

"State your case," Dumbledore told them simply as he stepped aside and gave the two teen boys the floor.

"We want into the Order," Sirius told them simply. The room filled with laughter. "Allie's younger than I am and she's in the Order."

"Allison has attended several Order meetings, proved herself loyal and fought in a battle against Death Eaters twice her age. She's come face-to-face with Voldemort himself," Professor McGonagall attempted to reason with her students. "That's something many of us in this room can't even say!"

"But she did all that for a reason, right?" James asked. "Aren't we that reason? Sirius and…and my son! They were her reason for coming back. To save Sirius's life and to give Harry the family he deserves. If we're the reason she's here, the reason she would've been in the Order had she stayed in the future, doesn't it stand to reason that we should fight with her?"

"Who's said anything about fighting?" Moody asked. "Allie hasn't been in a battle as long as she's been here and she won't be until after she has been fully trained."

"Then train us!" Sirius replied. "If she can attend meetings and head committees and…research," his nose curled at the last bit, "then why can't we? Until we're fully trained. Then as soon as we graduate you'll have five wizards fully trained wizards ready to go on missions and fight battles."

"Five?" Professor Flitwick asked.

"We all want in," James told them. "Remus, Severus, and Regulus included."

"Please step outside," Dumbledore told the boys who quickly obeyed.

They stood in the hall for over five minutes before Regulus joined them. "What's going on?"

"We asked them to let us all in," James told the younger boy.

"I think they're discussing it now," Sirius added, looking hopefully at the door.

"All? As in me?" Regulus asked.

"And Sev and Moonie," James told him.

"Ah good," Professor McGonagall said as she opened the door. "Regulus, would you please collect Misters Snape and Lupin and join us in here."

"Yes, ma'am," Regulus answered, already running down the hall to the sitting room where his two friends were playing wizard's chess.

Once all five boys were in the room Moody simply stated, "Your training will begin in the morning. 7am."

"We're in?" James asked in disbelief.

"The conditions are as Sirius suggested," Professor McGonagall told them. "You will attend meetings and perform researching tasks. Additionally, you will be trained in battle strategies by Alastor daily for the remainder of the holiday and two evenings a week while in school. You will take additional classes with Professor Flitwick and myself three evenings a week. These conditions are non-negotiable. If your grades drop or you slack during training your training will be suspended until you are seventeen and have graduated from Hogwarts. Are these terms agreeable to all of you?"

"Yes, ma'am!" James and Sirius agreed with enthusiasm.

"Yes, ma'am," Regulus answered next.

"Yes, ma'am," Severus also confirmed.

The room was silent as everyone turned to Remus. "My condition?" he finally asked looking at Professor McGonagall.

"We will make up classes and training sessions or weekends when necessary," she answered. "Is it agreeable."

"Yes, ma'am," he finally answered.

a/n: Sorry about the wait! It's been a hectic few weeks on my end. As always I love reviews & I'll start on the next chapter ASAP.


	26. Chapter 26

"Where have the boys been all day?" Lily asked as she and Allison got dressed that evening. Andromeda Tonks was having her annual New Year's party and they had all been invited.

"Quidditch maybe?" Allison feigned ignorance as she tied a bow in the back of her long sleeved crimson empire waisted party dress.

"All day?" Lily persisted. "They weren't in the yard and they didn't come home for lunch."

"They went to the Prewitts' house to play," Allison covered easily.

"You ladies ready?" Sirius suddenly called from the other side of the door.

"We are," Allison answered with a smile as she pulled the door open to reveal her boyfriend in stylishly frayed dark wash jeans and a crimson button down with the top three buttons undone and the bottom untucked. Allison smiled at his appearance, "decided we should match tonight?"

"Just proves how perfect we are together," he answered through a yawn, "that I can go all day without speaking to you and by chance we happen to choose matching outfits."

"Uh huh," Allison nodded as Lily rolled her eyes.

James appeared behind his friend with four cloaks slung over his left arm. "Mum and Dad are already gone. Took Reg and Sev with them. Moonie's waiting by the floo. You ladies ready to go?"

Slb slb slb

"All these people were at your house last night," Lily mentioned to James as they talked alone in a corner.

"You know old wizarding blood," he told her through a yawn. "They're always together."

"But it seemed like they were having some sort of meeting? Like you were having some sort of meeting?"

"Great job today, Potter," one of the Prewitt brothers said as he wrapped an arm around James's shoulder.

"So you were playing quidditch all day?" Lily asked.

James was about to answer when the floo lit the room a warm green color. Fabian Prewitt reacted immediately along with the rest of the room. Wands flew from pockets and pointed straight at the fireplace. "What's going on?" Lily whispered to James who was also pointing his wand ready to attack.

"All the guests are here," he answered as the dust settled and the green glow faded.

"Cissa," Andromeda shrieked as she pushed past her guests and fell to her knees in front of her baby sister. "Cissa what happened?"

Severus followed soon after and lifted her from the floor. "Sev?" Narcissa Black asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Blood had matted her blonde hair to her face and stained it red. Both of her eyes were swollen almost completely shut. Her arms were exposed through the ripped sleeves of her robe to show many deep cuts running the length of both arms.

"Cissa what happened?" Severus repeated.

"Bella," she whimpered in reply. "She woke up while I was letting the Order members into the Manor. She saw that I wasn't in bed and she told my parents and the Malfoys."

"Cissa's Sev's mystery woman?" Sirius whispered to Allison who only nodded in response. "Thank Merlin. Always thought she could do better than Malfoy."

"Follow me," Andromeda told Severus and the three of them disappeared through a door on the far side of the living room followed closely by Madam Pomfrey.

"The Order?" Lily asked. "As in the Order of the Phoenix?"

James's eyes widened as he turned back toward her.

Once again a distraction saved him as Andromeda ran back into the room and pointed her wand at the fireplace blowing it up. "They may be following her."

"Should we leave?" Molly Weasley suggested.

"Take the children somewhere safe," Arthur instructed her.

"Where? Everyone's here!"

"The Longbottoms," Allison suggested, remembering the fear Neville's grandmother had struck in her heart the first time she met the woman and knowing that three young children and their mother would be safe in that woman's home.

Molly nodded, placed baby Percy in his stroller, grabbed her other two sons' small hands in one of her own and apparated straight from the room.

"Why the Longbottoms?" Lily asked, looking quizzically at Allison. As far as she knew Allison and Frank only knew each other in passing. She couldn't imagine why her friend would think of Frank's family in such a desperate moment.

Most of the adults in the room ran out the door leaving only two at the doors—Gideon Prewitt and Dean Daniel. "Stay inside," Alastor ordered the teens.

Lily watched in wonder at the scene around her. Severus still hadn't returned from the spare bedroom where he'd carried Narcissa Black. Allison had taken a position next to Dean Daniel at the front door and instead of sending her away as he had each of the boys he welcomed her with a pat on the back before turning back to look out the small window and talking quietly with her without making eye contact. Sirius was trying to keep his younger brother calm as the younger boy paced in front of the door his cousin had disappeared behind. James and Remus paced the middle of the room looking anxious. Figuring they'd be her best bet she walked to the center of the room and stood directly in James's path. "What's going on? Are your parents in the Order of the Phoenix?"

James cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Might as well tell her," Gideon Prewitt yelled from across the room. "It concerns her too, you know?"

"Yes," James finally answered. "We….um….we all are, as of last night that is."

"But you're minors?" Lily argued.

"They're junior members," Dean called. "Allie's the only full member of the lot."

"But she's still in school," Lily pointed out. Then as if was Gideon said had just truly sunk in she asked, "What does he mean it concerns me too?"

"QUICK," Arthur yelled bursting through the door. "Sirius, I need you outside. Hold your shield charm and follow me."

Sirius did as he was told and followed the not-much-older-than-himself man out the door once again.

"Take her into the other room and tell her," Allison suggested to James after closing the door again.

James nodded and held the door to Ted Tonks's office open for Lily who followed without a word. With a nervous smile toward his friends, James shut the door behind them.

Allison put a silencing charm on the door before turning back to her post. "Shit!" she called pulling the door open and ushering her boyfriend and an injured red head. "Fabian, what happened?"

The man only groaned as Sirius supported his weight to the room where Madame Pomfrey had already set up shop. "Sev," they heard him call from inside the room, "we need you out here."

Both teens reappeared in the living room. "The fight's getting closer," Dean said, looking back into the room. "Two of you at each door," he ordered addressing the four remaining boys. "Gid, we're going out there. Allison, stay close!" She nodded and within second they had disappeared magically locking the doors behind them.

It was over an hour before James and Lily reemerged, both looking slightly thunderstruck. "What's going on?" James asked, noticing the near-empty room.

"You two help Moonie guard the back door," Sirius ordered crossing the room to put a reassuring arm around his younger brother. "They came. Fabian's injured. Dean, Gideon, and…and Allie are out there."

"Allie?" Lily asked, worry in her eyes. She was upset with her friend for keeping secrets and not completely sure that she believed what James was saying about the girl but the thought of her fighting Death Eaters just outside the door pushed all those feelings to the back of her mind.

"She's fought them before," Severus tried to reassure the room.

The battle waged until the first rays of sunlight breached the trees in the Tonks back garden. Many Order members were carried into the room by their comrades, healed quickly and returned to battle. Some stayed in the bedroom with the other injured.

Finally as the sun reached its full glory over the snowy country side, the younger order members began filing into the house.

"Where's my dad?" James asked when his father was nowhere in sight. "Moody? Dumbledore? McGonagall?"

"Son, calm down!" Mrs. Potter pleaded as she entered the room levitating Gideon Prewitt in front of her. "They're taking the captured Death Eaters to Azkaban. They'll be fine."

"Not that I don't appreciate the ride," Gideon protested, "but I'm perfectly capable of walking."

"You've a broken leg," Mrs. Potter easily silenced him.

"Where's Allie?" Sirius asked as he searched the sea of bruised, bloody faces.

"Here," Dean called as Allison supported his weight through the door. "I'd partner with this witch any day. Allie, you are amazing."

"Seconded!" Ted Tonks announced as he took Dean by the arm and lead him to the couch.

"We need to split up," Professor McGonagall told the group. "Everyone disperse to your own homes. Ted…"

"We'll go to my parents' house, put shields up. Dora's already there," Ted Tonks replied, already understanding where she was headed.

"Narcissa can come with us for the day," Mrs. Potter offered. "Poppy and I will heal and monitor her."

Andromeda nodded as McGonagall continued. "We'll meet at the Potters' tonight. 7pm."

With nods and mumbled goodbyes the Order members began dispersing. Sirius walked up behind his girlfriend and wrapped both arms around her waist. "Alright, love?"

Allison nodded and yawned, leaning into him as he apparated them both home.

a/n: More soon but more reviews gets you faster updates.


	27. Chapter 27

"I can't sleep with you staring at me Lily," Allison groaned as she rolled over in her bed and covered her head with the pillow. It was now eight in the morning. Allison and Sirius were first to arrive back home and she immediately headed for bed with him following close on her heels. He tucked the blankets around her, kissed her forehead, and left for his own room. Five minutes later, Lily arrived home and took up her current position at the foot of Allison's bed, staring. It had been twenty minutes and Lily hadn't said a word, only stared.

"Is it true? The…the future?" Lily finally asked.

Realizing that she wouldn't be getting any sleep until Lily was satisfied, Allison sat up in bed, throwing the pillow aside. "Yes," she answered simply.

"I marry James?"

"Yes."

"We have a son?"

"Harry James."

"Voldemort, he kills us?"

"No," Allison answered adamantly. "I won't let that happen this time around!"

"But in the future, your future, the one you came from, it does?"

"Yes."

"What happens to Harry?"

"He lives with your sister, brother-in-law, and their fat, pathetic son. They abuse him physically and emotionally until around his thirteenth birthday when they get too scared to hit him. They still insult him and you and James and lie about the two of you. They've starved him, locked him in a cupboard. The cupboard under their stairs was his room until he turned eleven actually. Dudley uses him as a punching bag."

Lily was crying by now and Allison stood from her bed and crossed the room to her dresser where she pulled a book from the bottom drawer. Sitting next to Lily, she opened the book. "This was my seventeenth birthday present from Ginny, Arthur and Molly's youngest." It was a photo album and on the first page there was a picture of three first years smiling and waving at the camera through a window on the Hogwarts Express. "The end of first year just when the train pulled into the station." The next picture on the same page showed Harry hugging Hermione goodbye. "He may have had a hard life with the Dursleys but he is the single most wonderfully amazing person I've ever known. Everyone always compared him to you and James—looks just like his father but with his mother's eyes…and nature. Go ahead," Allison pushed the book into Lily's lap, "Look through them, but please, for the love of Merlin, let me sleep!"

"You don't want to see them?"

"I do every time I close my eyes, Lily. They are the best friends I could ever ask for. You have Alice. James, Sirius and Remus have each other. Sev has Reg. I had them. I _love _Sirius. You, James, Sev, Reg, Remus, the Weasleys, the Potters, you're all great but it's not the same and it never will be again. I can't dwell on those memories. They make me too sad," Allison answered wiping tears from her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me? Come to me when you first got here?" the question had been bothering Lily since the night before but for months before that also. Why had the new girl chosen to make such fast friends with the three most sought after boys in all of Hogwarts? How was she even able to? She obviously wasn't the type to fawn over them the way other girls did, proven when she not once fell to their every whim.

Allison had already lay back down and covered herself completely with the blanket by then. "I knew Sirius and Remus in the future. They were friends and I trusted them. I've never made friends easily so new settings are hard for me but with them it felt easy, familiar, like I was right where I was supposed to be," came her muffled answer from somewhere deep beneath blankets.

Slb slb slb slb slb slb

"We will NOT hide!" Fabian shouted over the commotion of the meeting.

"Then you'll die," Allison tried to reason with them both.

They'd already discussed the battle the night before and the protection measures for the Tonks and Narcissa who would be living with Ted's family until further notice. A secret keeper had been named, wards had been set, and a patrol schedule had been written. Nymphadora would be returning to school as she was in Hufflepuff house and believed to be safe from her Slytherin classmates, unlike her aunt. A protection detail—consisting of Allison and the other teens—was set up to escort the girl to and from classes and meals. She wasn't pleased at all by the new development. After that they moved on to a dream, or rather flashback, that Allison had had that morning after revisiting the photo album Ginny Weasley had made for her.

She dreamed about a conversation she'd overheard the summer before her fifth year when she was living at Grimmauld Place with the Order. Molly Weasley had mentioned her two older brothers dying in the first wizarding war. It took five Death Eaters to take down the two of them and according to Sirius, they died like heroes sometime during Molly's pregnancy with the twins who were set to be born in fifteen months.

"Then we go down fighting," Gideon backed his brother eliciting a fearful gasp from Molly.

"You can't!" She cried. "Please!"

"Molly, this is a war," Fabian pleaded with his sister to understand. "We all knew that it would be dangerous going into this. We chose to fight anyway. If we have to die then we have to."

"But you don't have to!" Allison told him. "You have the knowledge to prevent it now!"

"I will not hide like a coward!"

"Think about your nephews and niece," Allison pleaded.

"Niece?" Gideon asked.

"She'll be born in 1981. Ginny. And you'll love Fred and George. They're just like you two. And Ron," Allison's eyes began to tear up as she spoke. "And Molly needs you! She'll miss you so much she won't be able to talk about you at all. You don't have to go into hiding now."

"When?" Fabian asked, relenting slightly.

"June. June to April. Her next pregnancy."

"You want us to miss the whole thing?" Gideon argued.

"I can visit," Molly spoke up. "Arthur and I can visit and bring the boys too."

"We'll think about it," Fabian finally told the group after five full minutes of silence and many significant looks in his brother's direction.

"Is there anyone else, Allison?" McGonagall asked once the tension had dissipated.

She nodded.

"Who?" Dumbledore urged.

"Dean," she told them looking at the man who'd fought by her side the night before, never left her once. "Can we talk about this alone?"

The room cleared as the meeting was about to be dispersed anyway, leaving Allison and Dean sitting across from each other in the large room that suddenly felt suffocatingly small to the girl.

"When?" he asked.

"Sometime between March 17, 1980 and that same day in 1981."

"How do you know the dates?" he asked brow furrowed much in the way that Dean Thomas's did when he was confused or worried.

"It's your son's birthday," Allison answered. "He was a friend of mine."

"I…I have a son?"

She nodded, "Dean, Dean Thomas."

"Dean Thomas Daniel," he tried it out. "I think I like it."

"No," Allison corrected, "not Dean Thomas Daniel. Dean Christopher Thomas. He doesn't keep your last name."

"Why not?"

"Because you left them. Him and his mother before his first birthday sometime. I knew him before Hogwarts. We both grew up in London. Our mothers were friends but Dean and I were both very quiet and reserved by nature so we weren't really friends before then. Jane and Henry Granger, have you met them?"

"Kelly's friends," he nodded. "They raised you?"

"I didn't put it together until the last meeting. I knew, of course, through Remus…I'm getting ahead of myself. The Death Eaters tried to recruit you but you, well you're you and you would never, so to protect your muggle wife and your son you left them. There was a meeting on Dean's first birthday. I don't know how long you'd been gone by then but you never made it to the Order meeting. Remus, Sirius, James and Pettigrew found you a few weeks later in the London morgue. The authorities found your body near her house and thought you were a transient. Remus told us about it during fifth year."

"But if I did all that to protect them why doesn't Kelly let my son keep my name?"

"She never knew. You never told her you're a wizard and that he might be. You just told her you weren't ready to be a father and left. I overheard her talking to my mum about it once. Mr. Thomas is a nice man. He loves her and Dean. He adopted him and he and Kelly had four daughters together."

"So they're happy?"

"No," Allison answered. "Not by a long shot. Dean knows he doesn't belong. Kelly's white and so is Mr. Thomas. Even when we were younger he knew that Mr. Thomas wasn't his real father. He was so angry with you for leaving. Then fifth year we started Dumbledore's Army and Harry hung a picture of the Order of the Phoenix in our practice room. He saw you and he knew. He wrote to Remus and when he learned the truth he hated you for it!"

"And Kelly? Why wasn't she happy?"

"Mr. Thomas was nice, a good dad, loved her and Dean and their daughters but she didn't love him like she loved you." He looked ready to ask another question so she continued, "I had this bad habit of eavesdropping on her conversations with my mother."

"But if she finds out what I am she'll leave me! I know it!"

"She'll find out when your son gets his letter and she'll love you just the same. She'll understand you better."

"So tell her?"

"Yes."

"And what? Hide when Dean's born?"

"If our plan works, this'll be over by then."

"You're sure of it?"

"I'll make sure of it," she answered standing to go.

She had already opened the door and stepped into the hall when he caught her by the wrist. "Don't do anything stupid," he pleaded. "I could see it last night, that determination, you'll die for this-"

"If that's what if takes," she replied.

"You know we're your friends' too, right? We may not be our children but we care about you just the same. Sirius is completely enamored by you. James is as protective of you as Fab and Gid are of Molly. Remember to protect yourself, too, while you're looking out for all of us."

a/n: Review! Review! Review!


	28. Chapter 28

"Sev, your girlfriend is right there. Why are you trying to snog my boyfriend?" Allison laughed as she made her way into James's room after escorting Dean to the door.

Narcissa and Regulus laughed from there spot on the couch playing chess. "Shut it," Severus replied, rolling his eyes as he sat back down next to his girlfriend. "I want him to charm the mistletoe."

"Why?" Allison laughed as she attempted to sit next to Sirius who obviously had different ideas as he pulled her onto his lap.

"Because I know he can charm the mistletoe to trap two people until they kiss," Severus answered as if it were the most simple and obvious thing in the world.

Allison's smile turned to a glare as she shifted in Sirius's lap and punch him in the chest.

"What…was…that…for?" he gasped.

"They breed!"

"What?"

"The mistletoe! It becomes a hybrid! You made me kiss Peeves! Jerk!" she yelled as she shifted her weight to sit on the couch.

"How exactly do you kiss a poltergeist?" Sirius asked laughing.

"You shut it!" Allison ordered, pulling away when he tried to wrap his arm around her. "I don't want to talk about it. Why do you need him to charm it anyway?" she asked Severus who was unsuccessfully trying to hide his own laughter.

"Lily's being stubborn," Regulus answered. "She likes James but she's still making it hard on him. Sev thinks if they kiss, she'll get over it."

"So you're going to force her to kiss him?"

"That's what I said," Sirius defended, trying to get back into his girlfriend's good graces.

"Actually," Narcissa spoke up for the first time, "You said if it doesn't work James will kill you!"

"Give me the mistletoe!" Sirius ordered grabbing the plant from Severus's hand. He performed the charm and levitated it out of the room.

"You're dead, Padfoot," the group heard James's angry shouts minutes later.

"I have to sleep in here tonight," Sirius informed the group. "I hope you're all happy."

"I am," Severus answered laughing.

"When are you going back to your sister?" Allison asked Narcissa.

"Tomorrow before you lot leave for the train. Dromeda's picking me up when she drops Dora off in the morning," Narcissa replied, leaning into Severus's side.

"Do you want to go back to Hogwarts?" Regulus asked his cousin.

"No. I want to be with Sev but I don't want to spend the rest of the term in the common room listening to all the pure-blood drivel or pretending to love that slime ball Malfoy."

"Never mind" James said in a dreamy voice as he practically floated into the room and fell onto his bed after turning off the lights.

"I think that's your cue to leave," Sirius told the group as he stretched out on the couch. As everyone stood to go, he grabbed Allison around the waist. "You can stay if you like love."

"Don't push your luck, Padfoot," James called from the bed.

"Just making sure you're paying attention, mate," Sirius laughed before kissing Allison goodnight. "I love you," he whispered in her ear as they pulled apart.

"I love you too," she replied as she left the room.

Slb slb slb slb slb slb slb slb

"Nymphadora!" Sirius called from the door to his corridor on the Hogwarts Express as the train trudged along through the hail storm. It was less than an hour into the journey and he'd already managed to offend his second cousin. "Your parents told you that you had to stay with us."

"Screw what my parents told me," she called back, "and don't call me Nymphadora!"

"That's your name!" he told her.

"Tonks is my name!"

"Padfoot, get back inside," Remus tried to reason with his friend who was in the process of exiting their compartment.

"No. We're supposed to look after her. I'm not failing in our first mission and I'm sure as hell not letting my cousin get hurt!" Sirius argued back as he stormed through the corridor with Remus and James hot on his heels.

"I'll talk to her," Remus said as he passed his friend and James caught up to pull Sirius away.

"Fine," Sirius slumped against the wall. "But if you're not back in fifteen minutes, I'm coming to look for you!"

Slb slb slb slb slb slb slb slb

"I'm not a defenseless child!" Tonks barked at Remus as he entered the empty compartment she'd found and took residence in. "I don't need him treating me as though I am," she continued, her hot pink hair changing to a fiery red.

"I know that," Remus soothed as he sat across from her. "Sirius does too. He's just scared."

"Scared of what?" she ordered. "He's not acting scared! He's acting like a right fowl git!"

"His brother was beaten near death," Remus told her. "And you weren't there when Narcissa showed up at your house. You didn't see her till this morning. It was bad, scary! We're going back to a dangerous place. It won't be the Hogwarts we've known…it hasn't been for a while now and he's doesn't want what happened to them to happen to you."

With every word she seemed to calm a little more until finally her hair had returned to its bright pink color and a small smile graced her pretty face. "I'll go a little easier on him, I guess," she replied as he checked his watch.

"Good," he replied, standing and grabbing her hand to pull her up. "But you may change your mind if we don't make it back in fifty seven seconds. He'll come looking for us," he explained as he began running, pulling her behind him down the corridor.

"Holding hands?" Sirius asked in a teasing voice as they made it back to the compartment sweating and out of breath.

Remus immediately dropped her hand and entered the compartment.

"I'm sorry," Tonks apologized to her cousin as she followed suit.

"I don't care," Sirius answered laughing as he too followed. "Remus could use a little action."

"That's not what I meant," she replied, blushing.

"Who's the owl from?" Sirius asked, dropping the subject in his distraction—something Tonks was very happy for.

"Dumbledore," Allison replied. "You'll all start your additional training tomorrow night with my dad, Tuesday with McGonagall, Wednesday with Dad again, and Thursday with Flitwick."

"What about the research?" Remus asked from his spot by the window.

"I can start on my own," Allison shrugged.

"I still don't see why I can't join," Tonks pouted.

"Your parents won't let you," Sirius reminded her.

"You lot are all underage and you get to join."

"Allie and I are seventeen," Sirius reminded her.

"And still in school," Tonks pointed out. "What about the rest of you?"

"My parents don't care what I do," Severus answered.

"Same here," Remus added.

"We have…uh…extenuating circumstances," James told her, motioning to Lily who sat sleeping with her head on his shoulder.

Tonks raised her eyebrow at this.

"That's all I can tell you," he replied. "Order business."

As all this was going on Sirius took his seat next to his girlfriend. "He have anything else to say? Any leads?"

"I had a hunch that he confirmed," she replied, leaning into his side. "It should narrow the search a little. I'll tell you about it later," she whispered as she noticed Tonks watching them.

a/n: The writer's block has begun to clear! WooHoo! Please review! I love them! Anyone else excited for pottermore?


	29. Chapter 29

"Your dad is kicking my arse!" Sirius groaned as he collapsed on his bed where Allison was laying with Hogwarts: A History, her 1996 version. "I think he's trying to kill me in order to keep us apart."

"He's just as hard on everyone else," she told him, only halfway paying attention as she turned the page. "You just complain more."

"I complain more because I've hardly have any time alone with you in the three weeks since we got back to Hogwarts and I just want a little of your attention when I do see you," he told her, sticking his head between her and her book.

"I'm sorry, love," she replied, kissing him swiftly. "I promise you all night tomorrow and all day Saturday!" He pouted. "I think I have a lead!"

Sirius shot up in the bed, bumping heads with Allison on the way. "What do you have?"

"Um…ouch!" she rubbed her head.

"Sorry," he answered, kissing her forehead. "What do you have?" Allison handed him a folded piece of parchment. "Reg got the locket and it's not a horcrux yet?"

"Yes, and something Dumbledore told me a few weeks ago gave me an idea!"

"I'm listening," he told her sitting straight and staring at her with excited eyes.

She laughed, shaking her head. "Harry and Voldemort had a lot of similarities," she explained. "Hogwarts was the first place he considered home and he collected things that were important to him."

"Collections?"

"Yes. If someone gave Harry a gift or he found something that he liked, he kept it until it completely fell apart. I asked Dumbledore and he said when he went to pick Riddle up to come to Hogwarts he found a collection of toys that he stole from other orphans."

Sirius sat smiling and nodding as she spoke. "You're getting to the good stuff soon, right?" he asked when she paused for breath.

Rolling her eyes she continued, "Harry eventually found other places to consider home: my house, the Burrow, Grimauld Place. But Riddle never did and it occurred to me that the horcruxes were just a new collection of sorts. I think he was collecting things related to the school. His diary from his school days, a ring that belonged to his grandfather who is a direct descendant of Slytherin, and Slytherin's own locket. We're still looking for two horcruxes and I think they were things that once belonged to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw."

"Why not Gryffindor?" James asked as he entered the room, icing his shoulder.

"The only thing that belonged to Godric Gryffindor that seems to have endured through the centuries is his sword," Allison explained. "Since the sword chose Harry in his time of need to fight Riddle, it isn't a horcrux in the future so either he didn't want to make a Gryffindor horcrux or he didn't get around to it in time."

"So we're looking for things that represent the other two founders," Sirius asked, reaching for the pile of library books stacked on the floor by his bed.

"Exactly," she confirmed.

Sirius tossed a book to James. "Where's Moony and Lily?" he asked.

"Lily's hanging out with Alice. She's feeling neglected. Moony's in the library with Sev," James replied flipping to the back of the book he was holding.

"He's back, actually," Remus told them as he entered the room and took a very thick book from the pile and taking a seat at his desk.

"What'd Sev want?" Sirius asked, easily distracted from their task.

"Blood," Remus answered simply before turning to Allison. "What am I looking for exactly?"

"An object that may have been important to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw," Allison answered, gingerly placing her book on Sirius's bedside table.

"One object?"

"One for each." She took another book from the stack.

James and Sirius watched on in wonder at the conversation taking place in front of them. "Excuse me," James asked when the other two continued on as normal, "are we the only ones that heard that correctly?"

"What?" Allison asked, looking slightly dazed.

"Sev asked Remus for blood," Sirius voiced his concern. "That isn't cause for concern to you?"

"No," she answered looking back at her book.

"What?" James shouted.

"It's for a potion he's working on," Remus explained as he studied the page.

"What potion requires human blood?" Sirius asked.

"Not human blood," Remus corrected. "Werewolf blood. He's trying to make the potion from Allie's memories, the Wolfsbane Potion."

"Did he invent it?" James asked Allison, excitement in his voice.

"Dunno," Allison answered honestly. "It's not in any books. And what I'm looking for obviously isn't in this one," she groaned tossing it aside.

"This one either," Sirius groaned throwing his book in the ever growing discard pile. "Do you think he can do it?" he added, grabbing another book.

"I'm not getting my hopes up," Remus confessed to his friends. "I think I found something!" He stood from the chair and joined his friends on Sirius's bed where James met the three. "Rowena Ravenclaw wore a diadem that supposedly gave her her extensive knowledge."

"I know where it is!" Allison shouted, staring closely at the page.

"Where?" James asked.

"The room of requirement," she told them, stepping off of the bed and crossing the room to James's trunk.

"What are you doing?"

"I need your cloak."

"You can't go now!" Sirius told her. "Curfew!"

"Since when do you care about curfew?"

"Since you promised me we'd spend all tomorrow and Saturday together and if you get caught, you'll be stuck in detention the whole time!"

"Then give me the map and come with me," she suggested as she found the cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders making it seem as though her head was floating in mid-air.

Sirius nodded and stood as if two people breaking the rules seemed the most logical solution to their current predicament. He grabbed a piece of intricately folded parchment from his own trunk and joined Allison under the cloak.

"I'll create a distraction," James told them looking far too excited.

Allison was scared as she and Sirius took their position by the portrait hole.

"Just don't look back," Sirius offered. "It's better that way." An explosion sounded behind them and screams were heard throughout the common room as the portrait swung open.

"What did he do?" she whispered as they headed toward the staircase.

"You don't want to know," he answered, lighting his wand tip and studying the map. "Dumbledore's still pacing in his office. Slughorn and Smith are on the sixth floor. McGonagall and Flitwick are on the stairs, heading to the eighth floor now."

"Sh." They had just reached the sixth floor landing and the two professors patrolling that floor were arguing as they headed in their direction. Allison pulled him to the side as the two brushed past on their way down the stairs. "Run."

They sprinted up the next flight of stairs, stopping just before the seventh floor landing to check the map again. "We're good," Sirius told her. "Make it fast."

Allison threw the cloak off of herself and pace the hall until a door appeared. "Come on."

Sirius followed her into the room and stuffed the cloak in his pocket. "Woah!"

"I found it when I was trying to hide from the twins during fifth year. They were trying to test a love potion on me and it was after Neville found the room so I came up here," Allison explained as she searched through the rows and rows of junk in the vast room. "It's tarnished with a dent in the back of it now," she told Sirius as he too began searching.

"Are you sure it's already here?" he asked after thirty minutes of fruitless searching.

"Has to be. There's no way Voldemort could get into the school between now and Halloween four years from now," Allison yelled across the large room.

"Is this it?" Sirius called after another fifteen minutes.

"Yes!"

"Good, let's get out of here!"

"Check the map," Allison told him as they neared the door.

"Of course, I'm going to check the map," he snapped at her. "I'm not stupid! I've been sneaking around this castle a lot longer than you have."

"I'm not so sure I'd agree with that," she pointed out, throwing the cloak over them both.

"Of course, because you always have to be right."

Allison looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Let's just get to Dumbledore's office."

Slb slb slb slb slb

It was well past midnight before they returned to the common room where James, Lily and Remus sat waiting.

"How'd it go?" James asked, jumping from the couch as soon as the portrait swung open.

"Fine," Allison answered, pulling the cloak off and tossing it to James. "I'm going to bed."

"Allie, wait!" Sirius called as she crossed the room headed toward the staircases.

"No. I'm tired."

"I'm so-"

"Goodnight!" And she was gone.

a/n: Try to post again tomorrow, then don't know when you'll hear from me. Big move coming up next week and lots to do to prepare. Please please please review. The lack of them recently is discouraging.


	30. Chapter 30

"You can sit with me at the Hufflepuff table," Tonks offered as she, Allison and Lily entered the Great Hall for lunch.

"Thanks for the offer Tonks," Allison replied, "but I'm fine with my own house."

"You're not going to grab a muffin and leave again?" the younger girl asked as Lily headed to her own table.

"No. I'm eating here."

"Okay then. See you after?"

"Remus is taking you to classes this afternoon. I have a free period."

The younger girl nodded with a slight blush and headed to her table where her friends sat waiting. Allison turned to her own table where she saw Lily, Alice and Frank already sitting with the Marauders. Seeing her coming Sirius scooted to the side, crowding a first year until the poor boy moved, and smiled hopefully at her. She walked past him to the very end of the table and sat alone, pulling a book from her bag.

"What did you do?" Alice growled at Sirius across the table.

"Not any business of yours, Alice, but thanks for the concern," Sirius responded, returning to his original position.

"She cried herself to sleep last night, Black, so I've decided to make it my business," Alice countered.

Sirius looked sad for a moment before covering it with his regular arrogance. "Oh, come off it! You barely even like her. You spent her first few months here either ignoring her or nagging her. You practically called her a slut before break. Don't pretend to care."

"She cares about you, Black," Alice persisted. "Before you even started dating she told me that you were this good person and she was sure you'd never hurt her. You aren't like we think you are. We just see what we want to see. Blah blah blah! Well last night you proved me right and you made possibly the only woman in this place to ever genuinely care about you cry! I hope you're proud!"

Sirius looked toward the end of the table just in time to see Allison stand and walk out the doors.

"Frank, I want to sit somewhere else," Alice told her boyfriend as she collected her plate and stood. "Lily?"

"I'll see you in class," her best friend replied earning an eye roll as Alice stalked off with Frank beside her.

When she was sure Alice was out of earshot Lily rounded on Sirius, "What did you do?"

"Don't you women talk about these things?" Sirius countered.

"Pads," James warned.

"No," Lily snapped back. "She won't talk to me about it. She doesn't have anyone she can talk to about it. The only people she'd tell these things to won't even be conceived for another three or four years!"

"You're friends," he groaned through a mouthful of food.

"Not like that! We only just met a few months ago."

"But-"

"Over the break she told me that I have Alice, Sev has Reg, and you three have each other. She doesn't have anyone. She had Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna! She had people! Lots of people who loved her, protected her, but she doesn't have any of that now! She gave it up for us! And she doesn't feel safe talking to me about it. She talked to you, opened up to you! That was it! Alice is right. She genuinely cares about you and she believes you can be a better person than any of us has ever seen you be. Don't blow it."

Sirius pushed himself up from the table and walked out of the Great Hall.

Slb slb slb slb slb slb

Allison trudged through the late January snow toward the small hut on the edge of the black forest. A stream of smoke was flowing out of the chimney and the windows elicited a warm glow. It was, overall, a very welcoming sight. Hagrid's hut had always been one of her favorite places on the Hogwarts grounds. Often times the common room felt like a forced intimate setting, until she came to the 1970s her dormitory was unbearable, and the house rivalry made halls and classes miserable most days but Hagrid always welcomed her (and Harry and Ron) with open arms, strong tea, and rock-hard cakes. It was comfortable, friendly.

She'd made it a point to introduce herself her first week and work on rebuilding the strong bond that they would share in the future and it had paid off. Hagrid always greeted her with his friendly smile and bone-crushing hugs and when she needed to get away she was always welcome in his hut. And right now she needed to get away. To think.

Hagrid's hut was the one thing that she'd kept for herself. By now all of her new friends new about the Room of Requirement, her spot in the back of the library near the windows, even the small nook on the way to the astronomy tower that she and Harry discovered first year in a game of hide and seek the Gryffindors had organized with the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. But she never told them about the warm safe feeling this small house and its soul resident gave her. She knew that if they did look for her and if they did look here it would be the very last place on their list.

"Ello Allie!" she heard Hagrid's friendly greeting from the side of the house.

"Hi Hagrid!" she greeted in return with a genuine smile on her face. "What are you doing outside? It's going to start snowing again soon."

"I know. I know. Have to get this shelter built though. One of the school's hippogriff's is expecting. Should have her baby any day now. It's early, you know? Hippogriffs don't usually give birth till spring but this one had other plans I guess."

"Would you like some help?" Allison offered.

"Eh, no. I just have this last board to hammer in. You could go see Betsy if you like though. Get her ready to come into her new home. You remember how to approach them right?"

Allison nodded and headed in the direction that he gestured, bowing low when she saw the very pregnant hippogriff and the edge of the forest. When the hippogriff bowed in return she walked toward her and began to pet the creature. It wasn't exactly like the horses she would ride as a child. The Feathers were waxy and slightly rough to the touch unlike a horse's soft mane. But it would do in a pinch.

As she pet her mind started to wander back to the night before. Sirius had suddenly changed, gotten mean, when they were on their way to Dumbledore's office with the diadem. He'd called her a know-it-all brat, an insufferable bossy swot, and even accused her of being attracted to Dean Daniel. She didn't know where or why the change had come about but for a while last night Sirius had turned into the surly mean man who often resorted to name calling and low blows when he was drunk and tried to argue with her in the future. She loved Sirius but never did like that side of him. He'd often sent her to bed in tears over some 'joke' about her bookworm ways then.

Realizing she was crying, Allison hastily wiped the tears from her cheeks and magically cleaned her face when she heard Hagrid approaching from behind. He was ready to move the expectant mother into her temporary shelter. Allison didn't want him asking questions.

a/n: Next chapter, as promised…well one day late. No idea when I'll update again. But you should still review. It makes me


	31. Chapter 31

"Very well done," Dumbledore told the group of teens at the Sunday morning Order meeting. "The Diadem horcrux has been destroyed. Now we only need to discover what Voldemort would have used for one more horcrux and we can go through with our plans of ending this war. Allison, would you please gives us the details of how this was achieved."

Allison didn't even look toward Sirius as she moved to the front of the room. "When Professor Dumbledore told me about the collections that Riddle kept as a child I figured he'd want to collect things from Hogwarts as well. He tried to use Slytherin's locket so I started researching items belonging to the other school founders. Remus suggested that the Diadem could be a horcrux and I knew where it was hidden. Sirius and I went in search of it and he found the diadem. We're still trying to find an item of Hufflepuff's that he may have used."

"Thank you, Allison," Professor McGonagall replied once she was done speaking and had returned to her seat.

The meeting continued as a list of casualties was read and a pre-emptive strike was planned. They were dismissed in time for lunch.

"You alright?" Dean asked and he jogged to catch up with Allison.

"Fine. Why?" she replied, continuing her trek toward the Hufflepuff common room.

"You hardly spoke at all during the meeting. You wouldn't even look at Sirius even when he was deliberately getting in your line of sight. You're not walking or talking with any of your friends. And now you're not even going to lunch with the rest of the school. Take your pick."

"Sirius said some hurtful things. We haven't spoken since Thursday night. And I'm going to lunch but I have to pick Tonks up first. How are you?"

"What did he say?"

"Things that I don't feel like repeating," was her only answer as they continued down the hall. "Vulgar, hurtful things that he says for too much in the future. I thought," she looked around and pulled him to the side of the hall as she saw a group of Ravenclaws passing. "I thought that coming back here, preventing the horrors the future has in store for him, that it would keep him from turning into that angry person who's so quick to jump to the most hurtful alternative but he's already turning into that person. I…"

"Love him," Dean supplied. Laughing at the shock on her face he continued, "It's pretty obvious. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know what to do. Maybe Mad-Eye, I mean my father, was right and Sirius was just never meant to be the serious, settle-down type. Maybe I'm pushing him into something he's just not ready for. I think I might just need some time." They'd reached the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room by now and the portrait had gone to retrieve Tonks. "Now, back to my question, how are you?"

"I told her, Kelly," he admitted finally.

"And?"

"She asked for some time to process everything. That was two weeks ago and she finally called this morning. I'm cooking her dinner tonight at my place. I'll let you know."

Allison was about to speak again when Tonks exited her common room. "Hullo," the younger girl greeted.

"Good to see you again, Dora," Dean greeted. "I'll let you two get to lunch."

Slb slb slb slb slb slb slb

James was running in search of his best friend. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard. He'd been eavesdropping on Allison and Dean just to prove to Sirius that he had nothing to worry about, that Allison was in love with him and would ever think of cheating on him with the older man. He was right but what he'd just heard was of little comfort. She loves Sirius. She's not cheating on him with Dean but she's talking about space and time. Saying that Sirius isn't meant for a serious relationship and she's pushing him into it. This is bad.

"Fix it," was all that James could gasp out when he finally reached the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

"James, I know that the children don't like it when Mummy and Daddy fight-" Sirius began in his best baby voice but was cut off by his very serious friend.

"I heard her tell Dean she needs time…as in time away from you. You know what that means Sirius!"

Sirius dropped the spoonful of stew that he had poised to go into his mouth. "Time?" he asked. "But time means…What did she say exactly?"

"Maybe you're not the serious, settle down type and she's just pushing you into something that you don't really want."

Just then Allison walked into the room and took her now regular seat at the end of the table, far from Sirius.

"What do I do?" Sirius pleaded.

"FIX IT!" their friends who had heard everything answered in unison.

Sirius slowly stood and walked toward the end of the table. "Allie?" he said as he took a seat next to her. "Can we talk? Please."

Allison slowly placed her spoon back down onto her plate and turned to him. "Sirius, I really don't feel like doing this now."

"Please, we need to fix this," he gestured between them as he spoke.

"Did it ever occur to you that it might not be meant for fixing?" she asked turning away.

Grabbing her shoulders and turning her toward him again he answered, "No, because I know it is. I messed up. I'm sorry, but I love you and I know that we can work through this. I know that we're supposed to."

"Siri-"

"We were married, Allie," he told her, dropping his voice so that no one passing could hear.

"That was a different life. In that life I grew up in this time with James and started school here with you at eleven. We were friends for years before we dated. It was different. Maybe my going to the future and growing up away from all of you, not knowing you until this year, changed things. Maybe you knowing what would've happened makes you feel obligated to make it happen even though it's not what you want." Tears filled her eyes as she talked.

Sirius stood, taking her hand and pulling her along with him out of the room, out of the school and to the lake. "You're wrong," he finally told her, when he was sure they were completely alone knowing that she would've hated for the whole school to see her crying. "You're not an obligation! I love you and I want to be with you. I want to marry you! I want to be by your side when we end this war. I want to buy a little house on a big piece of land outside of Godric's Hollow and raise my children with you. I want you. Forever. And you didn't pressure me into that. I felt it as soon as I saw you. We were meant to be together. I can feel it. I can feel it when I'm with you and when I'm not. Just, please don't…don't leave me."

Allison was quiet for a long time before she finally spoke. "I think we may just need some-"

"No," Sirius interrupted. "No time. No space. I don't need it! Neither do you. You're just scared right now and you have good reason to be. I was an arse the other night. I said stupid, hurtful things that you didn't deserve to hear. I don't know why I did it. I just got so angry. As soon as I picked that damn diadem up the anger just took over. And I know it must've reminded you of the way that I acted in the future, those memories you showed us, but I'm not that man and I'm not going to be that man. Not if I have you! Just don't say you need time or space. That just means it's over and we both know it and it can't be over. If we need to work on things, if I need to work on things, tell me. We can work on them and still be together." He had started to cry himself as he spoke. "Please, just don't give up on me," he pleaded.

"You'll really work on your anger?" she asked.

"Yes. I'll do anything," he answered taking a tentative step toward her.

"Okay, then."

"You'll give it another go?"

She nodded as he leaned in and captured her lips with his.

a/n: Okay so I was so interested to see what would happen that I woke up early and started writing but now that that's resolved I really won't be posting for a while. REVIEW!


	32. Chapter 32

_Allie,_

_Just wanted to give you an update. Kelly and I are getting married. I'll discuss protection with Dumbledore at the next meeting. Thanks for the heads up. See you soon._

_Dean_

Allison read the letter twice before tip-toeing down the stairs to the empty common room and tossing it into the fire.

"What was that?" Sirius asked, pulling the invisibility cloak off.

"Spying on me?" she countered, with a small amount of frustration in her voice.

"Of course not. Kitchens," he gestured to the pile of food in his arms. "But…"

"Letter from Dean," Allison replied and braced herself for the storm.

"Oh? Why'd you burn it?"

"It had…information. Mentioned a Dumbledore meeting."

"Can I ask you something without you getting mad or thinking that I'm being a jealous boyfriend?" he asked, crossing the room and sitting on the couch.

"How about you ask and I'll decide how to react then?"

"Why do you have to speak to Dean privately? Everyone else's business is laid out for the entire…group," he said looking around the room. "But you go through all this trouble to protect his privacy."

Allison sat down on the couch, just out of Sirius's reach. "Dean's situation is a little more sensitive," she explained. "He'll have a son too. He was in Gryffindor with me and Harry but he was…Dean dies and his son doesn't know him at all because he left trying to protect them. Harry loves his parents because he knows that they did everything to protect him. Dean's son will think that his father just abandoned him. He'll hate him and it'll eat him up inside. His son deserves the same things as James's, doesn't he?"

"Of course he does," Sirius answered without hesitation.

"I thought I was coming back to help Harry and you but if I can help my other friends in the process I have to do that."

"I understand," Sirius replied, standing with his armful of food. "Good night," he told her, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek.

"He's getting married," Allison blurted in an effort settle Sirius's nerves.

"Dean?"

She nodded. "Will you sit with me a while?" she asked.

"It's two in the morning," he told her.

"But it's Saturday morning. We don't have to be up early. Please."

Sirius dropped his load of food and jumped over the back of the couch, sitting close but not too close, unsure of how to act in this situation. It had been six days since their conversation by the lake and Allison had for the most part kept her distance. She had done as he asked and not broken up with him but things weren't the same between them. He knew he had to work on himself in order to fix things completely with her but sometimes he just wanted to reach out and touch her. Right now, though, he was too afraid of her running away.

As Allison yawned and leaned into his side, his fear dissipated a little. "Merlin, Allie, I've missed you," he whispered into her hair.

"You see me every day," she pointed out as she wrapped both arms around his waist.

"But it hasn't been like this. It hasn't been right."

"I'm sorry."

"You've nothing to be sorry for. It's my fault and I need to figure out how to fix myself."

"But you don't need to do it on your own," she told him, looking into his blue-grey eyes. "I can help and all I've been doing is pushing you away when you're working so hard just for me and it's not right. I love you. I hope you know that. I'll try harder."

Sirius leaned forward and kissed her for the first time in almost a week. "I love you," he told her. "I don't deserve you, but I love you."

Allison yawned and stretched feeling a soft mattress under her. Strange. The last thing she remembered was sitting on the couch in the common room with Sirius. Opening one eye then the other she saw that the sun was shining brightly into the room. She lifted her head to look around just as her stomach began to growl. This was not her dormitory.

"Breakfast is on the desk," James told her.

She nodded as she sat. Looking around further she could see that she was on Sirius's bed while he snored on the floor.

"When Sirius didn't come back with the food I went looking for him. You two were asleep in the common room so I levitated you up here. I thought about waking you but he's barely slept since you got in that argument last week so I couldn't bring myself to do it."

"Thanks," Allison replied as she tip-toed around Sirius's still sound asleep form toward the desk.

"I'll deny it if you tell him I said this, but you can't do much better than Padfoot," James continued.

"I know."

"You love him, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you think you'll marry him?"

"I hope I will."

"Then forgive him and move on, please. You have no idea how unbearable he's been. You're all he'll talk about. And really it's more like whining."

Hgsb hgsb hgsb hgsb hgsb

Allison closed the book that she was reading and place it on Sirius's desk.

"What's wrong?" he asked when she stood from the bed.

"Nothing," she assured him. "Do you want to go for a walk with me?"

Sirius practically jumped from the bed in his excitement. "Yeah sure! Let's go!"

Allison laughed as she took his hand and led him out of the dormitory. Down the stairs and through the common room, Sirius followed her in a familiar path to the seventh floor. After dropping her hand she walked back and forth in front of the wall three times. A door appeared and they entered together. The room was small. A couch and a warm fire.

"I love you," Allison told him as they sat together on the couch. "And I'm so sorry."

"You shouldn't be apologizing. It was my-"

"Sirius, stop, please. I shouldn't have been so hard on you the past few weeks. I knew that you were sorry and trying to fix things and I was being stubborn and proud and you deserve better than that. And I'm sorry."

Sirius smiled at her. "I forgive you," he finally replied after a long moment of thought. "I love you, too."

She leaned into his side and they watched the fire together, talking and laughing quietly. Finally when Sirius's stomach gave a loud growl they decided to join the rest of the school for dinner. Walking into the Great Hall hand-in-hand the couple got a standing ovation that started with just James. Soon Remus, Lily, Alice, Frank, Tonks, and Severus joined in followed by the rest of Gryffindor table and a few from other tables as well as the professors.

"Sometimes, I really want to hit your friend," Allison whispered to Sirius as she followed him, red faced, to their seats.

"He's your god-brother," Sirius countered.

"Is that permission?"

"I'll handle it," he replied with a wink and a kiss on the cheek before taking his seat.

a/n: I'm sorry. I'm horrible, I know but I just couldn't get over this writer's block. I'll try to update more soon though. Please forgive me and review!


	33. Chapter 33

Response to Zencry: You do sound rude…very rude. And I don't have a lack of readers for this story. I'm sorry if my mis-spelling things a few times in 32 chapters is a bother to you and makes you "cringe" but if it's such a problem for you do feel free to stop reading. It won't hurt me any. I have quite a few readers who love this story, mis-spellings or none. Also, spell check automatically corrects things & my computer likes "Moony" or than "Moonie." So sorry if I can't catch it every time. But how about you read past chapter 1 before you decide to criticize something so small! Thanks, love!

Now on with the story:

"Where is everyone?" Sirius asked as the teens made their way into Professor Flitwick's office for Sunday's meeting.

"There's been a lot of raids at the ministry," Allison whispered. "My dad owled me about them this morning. He, Harold and Dean are busy with that and the Prewitts and Weasleys have been setting up Gid and Fab's hideout."

"So this is going to be a small meeting then?" James asked.

"Precisely, Mr. Potter," Professor Flitwick squeaked from behind his desk. "Please have a seat." They did as they were asked and sat at the six chairs provided for them. "The rest of the Order is busy with missions of their own. As I'm sure you've read in the profit, things are getting very desperate outside of these walls." Lily nodded. "How has the research been going? I believe we only have one item left to find."

"Yes, sir," Allison answered for the group. As head of the committee it was her job. "However, we don't have any leads as to what that item may be. All we know is that it is most likely something that once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff."

"I see," Flitwick replied. "And you've no idea what it could be?"

"No sir," Allison shook her head.

"I was wondering, Sir," Severus came to her aid, "if there are any living descendants of Hufflepuff that we could speak to. Maybe they would be able to help us."

Flitwick shook his head. "I'm sorry," he replied. "No. Hepzibah Smith was her last living descendant and she was murdered some twenty years ago by her own house elf. I always found it strange. Hepzibah was a friend of mine and she took very good care of the elf. Sure, she yelled at Hokey sometimes but it the large scheme of things, she was treated very good for the times."

"Why would she kill her master then?" Lily asked, puzzled.

"Are you absolutely sure that she was the one to kill her master?" Allison questioned.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Well," Allison explained, "a house elf has to do their master's bidding, correct? If they try to refuse their own magic forces them to do as they are told. Would she have been able to kill her master if it was against her master's wishes?"

"I admit it is far-fetched and it's the only case of its kind," Flitwick replied.

"What did Hokey say at the trial?" James asked. Surely there was a trial.

"My dear boy," Flitwick responded, "house elves don't get trials. Hokey was sent to Azkaban straight away."

Sirius visibly cringed at the name of the prison but asked, "Is she still alive?"

"I believe so. Hokey was a young elf then and they can live up to a hundred years."

"Can we speak to her?" Allison continued, seeming to understand Sirius's train of thought.

"There's no way. The ministry would never allow a group of sixth years into Azkaban prison to interview an elf convicted of murder twenty years ago."

"Can you?" Sirius asked.

Flitwick shook his head.

"Dumbledore?" James suggested.

"Did someone call me?" Professor Dumbledore asked as he entered the room looking very run-down.

"Yes, sir," James answered. "We need your help. I'm not exactly sure how but…"

"Sir, is it possible for you to speak to Hokey, Hepzibah Smith's house elf, in Azkaban prison?" Allison asked.

"I could request a visit, of course," Dumbledore replied, standing near Flitwick's desk. "I'd have to have a good reason for it."

"I don't think that she killed Hepzibah," Allison told him. "And if you could retrieve her memories of that night we can find out if Tom Riddle did it, as I suspect he did."

"And maybe we can find out what the last Horcrux is as well," Sirius finished. "She was Hufflepuff's last living relative."

"A very good idea, indeed," Dumbledore praised. "I will of course have to give the ministry a different reason for the visit, but I can start working on the request right away."

Slb slb slb slb slb

"You two make a good team, you know?" Severus commented as they returned to the Great Hall for lunch that same day. "The way you can catch onto each other's train of thought like that. It's impressive."

Allison blushed at the compliment and looked back at Sirius who was walking with James behind them. Tonight was the full moon and they needed to discuss ways of sneaking out to help Remus. Lily walked ahead with Tonks. "Yeah," Allison answered. "He's pretty great."

"I wouldn't go that far," Severus teased back, "but you are pretty great together. I'm glad you figured things out."

"Me too."

a/n: This is a very short chapter, I know. And most of it was me telling someone off. Really, I love reviews but if you plan on criticizing make it constructive, please and not some nit-picking petty crap! That said please review and the next chapter will be longer. PROMISE!


	34. Chapter 34

Winter dragged into spring as the group of junior Order members awaited a reply for Dumbledore's request for a visit to Hokey the house elf in Azkaban prison. Their research was at a standstill though they continued to at least attempt to look busy. Allison was the most frustrated of all as she didn't have mandatory classes and trainings in the evenings. To be completely honest, she got bored. Now they were all heading back to the Potters' house for Easter holiday, still with no news from Dumbledore.

"I'm telling you, Lily," Severus warned as he, Allison, and Tonks walked past the compartment that the Marauders had taken up residence in, "it's a bad idea to go in there."

"Sev, calm down," Lily laughed. "I'll be fine!"

Allison simply shook her head as she followed Tonks into the next compartment. Three hours later, Lily threw the door open and stumbled into the compartment wide-eyed and green-faced. "A bit of warning would've been nice," she told them and she fell in the seat next to Allison.

"You were warned," Tonks pointed out. "Sev told you it was a bad idea to go in there."

"But I didn't think it would be that….Sirius grabbed me around the waist and spun me until I couldn't stand!"

Allison nodded, "He does that."

"It took me two and a half hours to get out of there!"

Tonks nodded as well. "It doesn't surprise me."

"And Remus just sat there reading as if it were as quiet as a library!"

"He's had six years to get used to them," Severus pointed out.

"Oh, oh, oh!" Lily began to stuttered.

"What?" Allison asked as the door slid open. Turning she saw that it was too late.

"I think that meant 'Allison, you're seventeen. Hurry and lock the door before our crazy boyfriends get in here.'" Severus replied as Sirius slammed the door shut again.

"Don't worry. I'm on it!" he told them as James's face, red with anger, appeared on the other side of the door.

"You're going to pay for this, Padfoot," James yelled as he pounded his fists against the door. "Do you hear me? PAY!"

"What'd you do?" Allison asked as he took the seat on the other side of her and greeted her with a kiss.

"See for yourself," he answered with a satisfied smirk.

Doing as she was told, Allison peeked around him to look out the window. "Oh my…how did you…why?" James's normally unruly black hair was parted on the left and slicked down to his head, his bangs combed sideways over his forehead. He continually ran his hands through it but it stayed in place as if gelled down by super glue.

"Isn't it a muggle saying: Revenge is a dish best served cold?" Sirius replied, laughing at his friend's futile attempts to right his hair. "It'll stick for three days."

"Revenge for what exactly?" Allison asked.

"Remember in February I said I'd take care of it?"

"No, actually, I don't."

He shrugged, "Doesn't matter really," he replied. "I took care of it anyway."

"Dead, Pads! You're dead!" James continued to scream from the other side of the door.

"Oh, James, dear!" his mother cooed as the group of teens stepped of the train (Many people pointed and laughing in their direction…his direction). "You've finally managed to tame your hair! You look so handsome," she continued as they made their way to the apparation point.

'Dead!' James mouthed to Sirius behind her back.

"The best part is, he's sixteen so he can't get me back until we get back to school," Sirius joyfully told their friends.

"You know there are muggle tactics I can use?" James pointed out.

"Yeah," Sirius conceded, "but you don't know any."

"Damn it!"

"Language, son," Mr. Potter reprimanded as he took James and Lily each by the hand and disaparated.

"See you at home," Mrs. Potter called, taking Remus and Severus and doing the same.

A group of Slytherins was approaching them quickly so Allison took Sirius and Tonks by the hands and they were gone.

"I can apparate myself," Sirius pointed out when they touched down in front of the house.

"But somehow I felt you'd have stayed and fought instead of doing it," Allison pointed out.

"So what if I would," he pouted as they walked into the house.

"It's not smart to go looking for a fight, son," Harold Potter pointed out. "It'll come to us sooner than you'd like. Trust me."

Sirius nodded and followed Allison up the stairs. "Sorry."

"It's fine," she assured him with a smile. "Where's James?"

Sirius shrugged, "Probably out flying or snogging Lily. Who knows? Why?"

Allison grabbed Sirius by the hand and pulled him to his room; shutting the door behind her she pushed him against the wall and kissed him. He couldn't remember the last time that he was kissed like that. He was seeing stars when she pulled away. "I love you."

"I…um…I…wow…" he stammered, staring at her through wide eyes.

"You are brilliant, talented, smart, and I love you. I don't think I've said it in a while."

"I love you too," he replied, wrapping his hands around her waist and leaning forward.

"Hey Pads, why'd you shut the door?" James asked as he barged into the room.

"Do you just follow us around and wait for the perfect moment to kill the mood?" Sirius barked at his best friend.

"LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY HAIR!" James yelled back. "MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR! Even if I would've given you two privacy before you'd have lost it for this!" he continued pointing at his head. "Oh, no, mate! You can get used to me being around because I'm not going to give you a moment's peace until my hair is back to normal."

"Shouldn't you be focusing on your own girlfriend?" Sirius countered.

"She won't even kiss me," James stressed. "I'll go in and she'll look at my head and start laughing! If I can't get a snog, you can't get a snog!"

"You know, I've gotten quite a few snogs from quite a few girls while you sat in the dorm pining over Lily right? I think I've proven that I can get a snog even if you can't," Sirius replied matter-of-factly, but instantly regretted his words when Allison cleared her throat.

"You do know that I'm still here, right?" she asked her boyfriend with a raised eyebrow.

"I…um…I…shite!"

"Allie!" Harold called from downstairs. "Owl for you! It's from Dumbledore, marked urgent!"

"Urgent?" Sirius asked, forgetting his feud with his friend for a moment.

"Urgent from Dumbledore," James replied before the three teens ran for the door. They were met at the top of the stairs by Lily, Remus, Regulus, and Severus as all seven pushed their way down to see if this was the piece of information they'd been missing.

a/n: Review! Please! Also a question: Is it "Moonie" or "Moony"? I had a very rude reviewer tell me that my mis-spelling the name as "Moony" instead of "Moonie" made her cringe and probably turned many people away from the story (even though it's only a few times throughout the story) and another reviewer told me that "Moony" IS the correct spelling. I looked it up on Wiki and it's "Moony" but I always thought that it was "Moonie." Since I just moved and am far too lazy to dig my books out of their box at the moment I'm going to ask that someone look it up (IN A BOOK) and tell me which is correct. Pretty PLEASE!


	35. Chapter 35

A small house elf in a crisp white pillow case pulled the heavy wooden door open to reveal a tall, handsome young man with jet black hair and dark eyes.

"Thomas Riddle," the man introduced himself, "from Borgin and Burkes. I'm here to see Miss Smith."

"Yes, sir," the elf replied. "Follow Hokey, please sir." The handsome man followed the house elf into an elegantly decorated sitting room. "Please sit, sir, and Hokey will go get Miss."

The elf exited the room and apparated to a bedroom on another floor.

"Miss, you have a visitor," Hokey informed a robust woman in a very tight dress.

The woman turned to reveal an excess amount of make-up and her greying blonde hair in tight ringlet curls around her face. Her large breasts were threatening to burst through the bodice of her dress. Sirius and the other teen aged boys viewing the memory winced at the sight. "Make some tea," Hepzibah Smith ordered the elf. "Bring it in the good set, the Hufflepuff set, then make yourself scarce."

"Yes, ma'am," Hokey answered but her master had already left the room.

They followed Hokey into a large kitchen where the elf busied herself preparing tea. They all watched carefully to see exactly which ingredients she used…no poison. With shaky hands Hokey delivered the tray to her master and the handsome guest. They didn't even acknowledge her as she walked from the room but something made the elf stop just outside the door.

"Now, as I told you the last time you visited, Mr. Riddle," Hepzibah started in a simpering voice, "none of my family objects are for sale. Especially the cup."

"I understand," the handsome man charmed. "And please, call me Tom. Would you mind terribly if I examined it more closely, though."

Curious, Allison stepped through the door and into the room, walking just behind Tom Riddle's chair before stopping. She gasped and returned to her friends just as Tom handed the cup back to Hepzibah Smith.

"What is it?" Sirius asked.

She only pointed to the scene in front of them. Hepzibah was lying on the floor, twitching and gasping for breath as Tom Riddle yanked the cup from her grasp. "You made me do this," Riddle sneered at the woman, "by not allowing me to have the cup the gentlemanly way." Lily covered her eyes and turned away from the scene as everyone else continued to stare wide eyed. "This will add nicely to my personal collection."

They were all consumed by the swirling mist that pulled them back into the Potters' study.

"Well I guess we know what the last horcrux is," James muttered as he helped Lily to her feet. "Hey! Where are you going?"

Allison was running out of the room and up the stairs. The others followed suit.

"Our house used to be so quiet when it was just James," Harold Potter commented off-handedly.

"Yes, but what was the fun in that, really?" his wife replied with a smile as she returned from flooing Tonks home.

By the time her friends had caught up to her, Allison was already sitting at the window seat in Sirius's bedroom with a notebook in her lap and a box of colored pencils by her side. Her trunk, which she'd brought in there when they first arrived home and hadn't yet had time to put in her own room, was thrown open and its contents spilled on the floor. With a wave of his wand, Sirius cleaned her mess and sealed her trunk.

He crossed the floor and sat next to his girlfriend by the window to look over her shoulder. "You're drawing the cup?" he asked.

"So we can show the rest of the Order. Maybe they've seen it before, in one of their raids. Or maybe they will see it," Allison explained as she continued to draw in great detail.

"But we don't even know where it is yet," James reminded her.

"It doesn't matter, does it?" Regulus interjected. "If someone's already seen it, we'll have a clue as to where it might be. If not, we'll research until we figure it out."

James and Sirius both groaned audibly at the idea of more research.

"We should send someone to Borgin and Burkes," Lily offered. "If he worked for them, they might have some idea where it could be. Or maybe he brought it back to them to sell after he changed it."

Allison shook her head, "He wouldn't sell it. He'd want to know exactly where it was. But you're right. If we could have someone inquire about it there they might be able to give us some clues. As long as they don't know what he did to it, that is."

"Why would it matter if they knew?" Regulus asked, remembering the odd men that seemed to suck up to his parents every time they entered the store.

"Borgin and Burkes are some seriously bad guys," Remus answered. "If they're not Death Eaters they at least support the cause. If they knew what Voldemort was up to, they'd protect him."

Slb slb slb slb slb slb slb

"I thought they'd never leave," Sirius groaned as he wrapped his arm around Allison's waist.

"I should probably go to," she replied. "It's getting late."

They'd all returned upstairs after dinner. Sirius had slyly—or so he thought—guided Allison toward his room so they could try to be alone for a moment but James had followed. And with James came Lily. With Lily, came Sev. With Sev, came Reg. And Remus joined them last simply because he didn't want to sit alone in his own room. Remus, ever the good friend, spent three hours trying to clear the room for Sirius and Allison and had just finally succeeded, at half twelve.

"No," Sirius whined tightening his grip on Allison's waist. "Stay just a while! I was hoping we could finish our discussion from this afternoon."

Allison laughed as she relaxed slightly into his side. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Alone," she replied, "in your room. At night. With the entire house in bed."

"I'm not going to try anything if that's what you're worried about," he told her, sounding slightly hurt.

"I'm more worried about what I'll do," she replied, leaning up slightly to kiss the stubble on his cheek.

"What you'll do?" he asked with a teasing voice and a raised eyebrow. She remained silent. "Let's talk then," he told her, much more serious now. "There's something I've been wanting to bring up for a while now."

"What's that?" she asked, turning slightly so that she could look him in the face.

"Remember Christmas holiday? The night that you showed us all your memories?" She nodded. "Do you remember what I told you before we went into the pensieve?"

She thought for a long moment. The night was mostly a blur of fear and sorrow for her. She was afraid her new friends would reject her while still mourning the loss of her old friends. "No," she answered finally.

Sirius shifted uncomfortably. "Your father showed us his memories and I told you that you and I were married. In your first…um…life, I guess. That was one of your reasons for sending yourself forward in time to begin with and I asked why you came back."

She nodded, "I remember that now."

"How do you feel about that?" he asked.

"What?"

"Marriage."

a/n: Life has been hectic. Sorry it took a while to update. Please review. Also thank you for all the answers to my question as well as kind words about the story since I posted the last chapter. You're all amazing!


	36. Chapter 36

Allison stared at Sirius silently for a long moment. Long enough that he was starting to feel uncomfortable and slightly regretting breaching the subject at all. Of course she didn't want to talk about marriage. It was too soon. And she had a mission here. If there was one thing he'd learned about Allison it was not to distract her from her mission.

"I'm sorry," Sirius told her when he realized that the silence was too long to have a good outcome.

"Would you please stop apologizing?" Allison replied with a smile.

"It's too soon," Sirius began voicing his concerns. "I've probably scared you."

"I'm not scared," she assured him. "Just surprised. To be honest, I'm still getting used to this Sirius. The Sirius I left behind wouldn't even consider marriage…ever."

"Maybe it's because he didn't meet you until the age difference was too great for it to be appropriate." She raised an eyebrow at his words. "Allie…Hermione, I love you and I know that that Sirius would've settled down young too if he'd had the pleasure of being able to feel this way about you. It doesn't have to be now. It doesn't even have to be soon. Hell, I'll leave the ring in my sock drawer until you tell me you're ready if that's what it takes. But I need to know if it's even a possibility for you."

"The ring?" she asked. "You've already bought a ring?"

He nodded. "I snuck out of the school one afternoon about a month ago and went apparated to London." He held his hand up to stop the protest he could already see forming on her lips. "I know it's not allowed and I know it's not safe but when your father gave me his blessing I was too excited to wait for the holiday."

"You asked for his blessing?" Allison asked with tears forming in her eyes.

"Of course," Sirius asked. "It's only right to get the father's blessing before asking for his daughter's hand. Well, what do you think? Would you ever consider marrying me?"

"Yes!" Allison answered, wrapping her arms around him.

"Great!" he cheered as he did the same. "Let me know when you're ready and-"

"Sirius, you're not understanding me. Yes!"

His eyes widened as realization struck. Sirius jumped from his place on the window seat and ran to his dresser. Pulling the top drawer open he threw socks in every direction until he found what he was looking for: A black velvet ring box. He crossed the room again and took Allison by the hand, pulling her up from her seat. Getting down on one knee Sirius opened the box. "Hermione Allison Moody, would you do me the immense honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes!" Allison told him a third time as he slid the ring on her finger. It was simple: a platinum band with a single half-carat round cut diamond in the center. "It's beautiful!"

"I thought you'd like a muggle ring," he replied. "I know it's small but-"

"Small?" she asked laughing and staring at the gleaming diamond. "It's huge. And it's perfect. I love you!"

Slb slb slb slb slb slb slb slb

Lily and Elizabeth both noticed a shining glimmer on Allison's finger as soon as she entered the kitchen for breakfast the next morning. Lily choked on her pumpkin juice in her excitement.

"Oh my days! Allie, it's beautiful!" Lily cooed taking her friend's left hand and examining the ring more closely.

"We'll start planning tomorrow!" Elizabeth informed both girls. "We'll go to Diagon Alley first thing in the morning. Let's see what do we need." She summoned a quill and parchment and started making a list while mumbling. "Dresses, flowers, cake, a hall, or church. Would you prefer a church, dear?"

Allison stood stunned in the doorway. They hadn't even let her make it into the room before they noticed and started planning. She looked to Sirius for help but he only smiled back at her.

"Dress robes for the boys," Elizabeth listed.

"What are they talking about?" James asked, confused as he continued to eat his breakfast.

"Congratulations, son," Harold told Sirius as he patted the teen on the back.

"Thanks, Dad!" Sirius replied as he continued to stare smiling at Allison who'd now joined Lily and Elizabeth on the far end of the table.

"Congratulations?" James asked. "What congratulations?"

"Have you discussed a date?" Elizabeth asked a little more loudly this time so that Sirius could join the conversation.

"A date for what?" James was starting to get frustrated with being ignored. He simply wasn't used to it.

"Look at her left hand you idiot!" Severus whispered in a reprimanding voice.

With a glare at his friend, James did as he was instructed. "YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED!" he yelled as he finally caught on.

"Nothing gets past you does it, mate?" Remus teased as he stood from his seat and walked to the end of the table to congratulate Allison.

"Dear," Harold interrupted his wife after another hour of questions and plans, "we really should start getting ready don't you think? We have guests coming for the holiday," he reminded her.

"Yes, of course. Allie, we'll get started on this first thing in the morning," she promised as Allison stared wide eyed at the two foot long parchment that Elizabeth was now rolling and tucking away safely in a drawer near the sink.

'Thank you!' Allison mouthed to Harold who simply responded with a wink.

As Allison, Sirius and Lily made their up the stairs to get dressed for the day (the other boys had gotten bored and left long before then) Sirius caught his fiancé by the hand and whispered in her ear, "if you think Mum was bad, just wait until Andromeda and Narcissa get here." She stopped in her tracks and stared at him. He simply kissed her on the cheek and continued up the stairs.

a/n: No time for a long winded note today. Just a please review and I'll try to post by tomorrow or the next day. Thanks! You're all amazing!


	37. Chapter 37

"You know, we could just go to the Ministry of Magic," Allison suggested. As Sirius suspected, his cousins noticed the ring as soon as they arrived and had spent the past four hours talking about dresses and flowers and blah blah blah. "We could leave in the morning before Elizabeth wakes up and get married!"

"Mum would murder us both," Sirius warned. "She's been stuck with all boys for too long. If we take this away from her we won't make it to a honeymoon."

"No, I didn't think you'd go for that suggestion anyway," Allison replied with a sigh.

"Didn't you ever dream about your wedding?" he asked. "Aren't all little girls supposed to think about that stuff?"

Allison looked up at Sirius with tears in her eyes. "Of course I did but it's not going to be my dream wedding. My parents won't be there. My dad—not Moody—my real dad can't walk me down the aisle. Ginny won't be my maid-of-honor. Luna won't be a bridesmaid. Harry won't be there…or Ron. I'll have the perfect husband but not the rest of it."

Sirius kissed her on the forehead, "I thought it was getting better?"

"It is. It's just things like this, when I realize that the most important people in my life won't be there to share the most important moments, it gets hard."

"We can go to the Ministry if you want," Sirius conceded. "Not tomorrow, though. We at least need to give your dad and the Potters notice. They'll want to be there even if there's no ceremony."

"I'm just being selfish. You must've thought about it some too-"

"Allie, love," Sirius interjected, "I'm a bloke. We don't sit around and dream of our wedding day."

"Not even after you bought the ring and knew you were going to ask me?" she asked looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Okay, fine," he conceded with a heavy sigh and an eye roll. "I may have thought about it some."

"And?"

"I don't know. I guess I just thought that Prongs, Moony, Reg, and Sev would stand up for me. And I can't wait to see you in a beautiful white gown. I already know James is planning a speech. Whether or not I'll actually let him give it is yet to be decided. But, yeah, I guess I was really excited to have the whole big wedding with all of our friends there. But if it's not what you want…" he trailed off a moment, looking up at the sky. "I just don't want you to regret not doing it later. I mean when James and Lily or Sev and Cissa-"

"Or Remus and Tonks," Allison muttered under her breath.

"Or Remus and Tonks," Sirius added before turning to her with wide eyes, "Seriously?" She nodded. "Wow! Good for Moony! Anyway, when they get married and have their big weddings and you're in them, I don't want you to look back at our Ministry elopement and wish we did it differently."

"You're right," Allison conceded. "I'll regret it later."

"You're sure?"

She nodded, "I am kind of excited about the dress."

Slb slb slb slb slb

Allison snuck into Sirius's room bright and early the next morning to wake him up by body slamming him while he lay sleeping.

"Do I have this to look forward to for the rest of my life?" he groaned as he pulled her close to him, her back to his chest.

"Possibly," she responded laughing. "You need to get up now."

"Why's that?" he groaned as he tightened his grip on her waist and nuzzled his nose into the curls at the nape of her neck.

"If I have to be up at this God-awful hour of the morning, so do you," she replied, using her wand to lift the heavy black curtains and let the bright morning sun into the room.

"That was not kind!" Sirius told her as he released her and buried his head under both his pillow and blankets.

"May not be kind but it was necessary," she replied wrestling the pillow away from his face. "Harold's taking you to look for dress robes today so you need to get up too. Plus," she told him finally pulling the pillow out of his reach and placing a long kiss on his lips, "we have to pick a date before we do anything else."

"Now that I could get used to every morning," Sirius told her as she laid her head on his chest.

"What do you think of December?" she asked playing with the sleeve of his tee-shirt.

"You want me to wait a whole year and a half?" he whined. "I was hoping right after graduation next June."

"I've always wanted a winter wedding," Allison confessed, "with the snow falling and the lights on the houses in town. Besides, I was actually thinking this December. We could wait though. Of course we'll wait! I'm sorry! What was I thinking? Why would you want to get married while we're still in school?"

"Because I love you and the way I see it the sooner the better," Sirius answered, kissing the top of her head. "I'd marry you tomorrow if we could have everything planned by then. It'll be weird though, not staying together at school."

"We will, though," Allison assured him. "There's a rule in the school rule book that married couples have their own dorm together."

"What?"

"That or we can get a house in Hogsmeade and go home each night."

"Really?"

"It's been in there since the school was built because people got married so young back then. Dumbledore told me about it yesterday."

"So December," Sirius said seeming to be deep in thought. "Are you thinking before Christmas?"

"What do you think?"

"New Year's Eve," he replied without taking a moment to think. "We can bring in the new year with our new life together."

"Did you just think of that?" she asked, shocked.

"Maybe I've put a little more thought into this than I originally said," he confessed with a wink as his door flew open.

"Pads, Dad said to tell you to wake up. We have to all go get fitted for dress-" James stopped short looking at the bed. It seemed for a moment that he was trying to calm himself until he ran a hand over his still-too-tidy hair and blew up. "Damn it! You're not married yet! Get the hell out of his bed!"

"Nothing happened," Allison tried to assure James as she sat up.

"And don't yell at my fiancé like that," Sirius half joked, half warned.

"Get up, Pads!" James simply ordered. "And don't tell me how to react. I'm already in a bad mood! We all have to get new dress robes today. I hate shopping for dress robes. They're so itchy and stiff. Plus my hair is still glued to my head. And now I catch you trying to defile my god-sister!"

"We were just talking," Allison defended. "We were picking a date. What do you think of New Year's Eve?"

James looked pensive a moment before responding. "That's a good date," he finally answered. "You'll bring in the new year with your new life together."

"Do you two share a brain or something?" Allison asked, stunned by James's response.

"No," James answered laughing. "Pads talks in his sleep though."

a/n: I seem to have had inspiration strike me with this fic. Hopefully I'll have more to post tomorrow. To readers of my other story-in-progress: I'm sorry but I have to go with this until I lose the inspiration. I'm not giving up on the other story, just postponing it a while. As always please review! You're all amazing! Happy reading!


	38. Chapter 38

"Red and gold?" Sirius suggested. They'd all just returned home from a very long day and were trying to figure out a color scheme. So far Elizabeth had shot down all of their ideas.

Looking at Lily's auburn hair Allison nodded. "Lily can wear a gold dress, and the others can wear red," she replied. "I like it." The girls had spent all day in muggle London picking out Allison's wedding dress. She'd fallen in love with the first one that she tried on but Elizabeth insisted that she wouldn't know for sure until she tried a few more…in each of four stores. They'd gone back for the first dress after six long hours.

"But red and gold is so Gryffindor," Elizabeth protested.

"Mum," Sirius replied in a tired voice, "we are Gryffindors!"

"That doesn't mean it has to be your wedding colors. Why not just gold?"

"It would clash with Cissa's hair," Allison pointed out. "She and Tonks can wear red and Lily can wear gold. Besides, they're very festive colors aren't they? Perfect for the season."

Elizabeth sighed and nodded, "Fine. Red and gold. Now tomorrow," she moved on, "I've made appointments for the four of us to look at venues."

"Four of us?" Allison asked.

"Venues?" Sirius inquired.

"Yes, dear," Elizabeth answered Allison first, "The two of you, Harold and me. And venues, Sirius. Places to hold the wedding. A few churches and a couple halls."

"What about the church in Godric's Hollow?" Sirius asked. "I always liked that place."

"It's on the list, dear," Elizabeth assured him.

Slb slb slb slb slb slb slb slb

"I hear congratulations are in order," Dean greeted Allison with a hug when she and Sirius walked through the Weasley's back door on Tuesday night for the week's meeting.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Allison replied, returning the hug with one arm as the other still held the hand of an exhausted looking Sirius.

"You too, mate," Dean told him, shaking his free hand. "Congratulations."

"How'd you do it?" Sirius practically begged. "Mum's driving us insane with plans and we still have seven months! How'd you manage a wedding in one month?"

"We eloped," Dean answered easily while laughing at Sirius. "Went to the ministry and to the muggle courts and signed papers. She said she didn't want anything big and neither of us has any family to attend."

"Love?" Sirius asked, a hopeful hint in his voice, "remember how you suggested we just go to the Ministry?"

"Too late," Allison answered in a flat tone. "I already bought the dress. And I look good in that dress. I'm wearing that dress!"

"You can wear it to the Ministry!"

"Elizabeth would kill us both."

"Oh yeah," Sirius groaned. "I forgot about that. Damn!"

"We go back to school on Sunday morning. That means only four more days of this. And tomorrow you get to stay home while I'm stuck dress shopping again!"

"Ten places," Sirius reminded her. "We went to ten venues after we told her we wanted the church in Godric's Hollow! Twelve places total!"

"Yesterday I tried on twenty five dresses in five different stores after I fell in love with the very first. I don't want to hear it."

"I don't want to hear it," Sirius mocked under his breath. Allison turned so fast her hair whipped him in the face. "I mean, I love you," Sirius corrected with a hopeful smile a she walked into the living room where the meeting was being held.

"You're way above the curve, mate," Dean whispered as he and Sirius followed Allison. "It took me months to learn the first rule of marriage."

"First rule of marriage?" Sirius asked.

"When all else fails; grovel!"

Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat at the head of the room as the two men took their seats. "I understand that our horcrux search committee has some new information for us. James?"

"Thank you, Professor," James replied as he stood. "Going off of a lead from Professor Flitwick, we learned that Helga Hufflepuffs only remaining descendant was murdered many years ago and her house elf was accused of the crime. Allie thought it was odd for an elf to commit such a crime and asked for Professor Dumbledore's help in obtaining a memory from the elf of the night that her master was killed. Three days ago he sent us that memory and we discovered that the elf was innocent of the crime and, in fact, Lord Voldemort killed the woman. We witnessed him steal a tea cup that once belonged to Hufflepuff and as he did he said something about adding it to his collection. Allie drew a picture of the cup," he held the drawing up for the group, "in hopes that one of you may have seen it during a raid."

Dumbledore was the first to inspect the drawing. "The last time I saw this was at Hepzibah's house for tea," he replied before passing it on.

As the drawing made the rounds the teens' hearts sank. No one had seen it anywhere since Hepzibah's death. They had more research to do. Allison couldn't help but think of Harry in that moment. He understood Voldemort better than even Dumbledore. She never approved of him using their mental connection of course but in this moment she had to admit it would've come in handy. Now the task was less about research and more about getting inside the head of a sociopath.

When the meeting ended, Allison lingered a moment to speak to Mrs. Weasley. "Molly," she asked as she helped the only slightly older woman clear the dishes from the room, "I was wondering if I could ask a big favor of you?"

"Of course, Allie," Molly replied. "Anything."

"It's about the wedding. You see I always thought that when I married, Ginny would be my maid-of-honor." Molly simply nodded her understanding for the sob she could hear in Allison's voice. "Since that's not possible I was hoping that you would consider being my matron-of-honor. I know it's not tradition and that you haven't gotten to know me that well but in the future you were always like a mother to me and I admire you so and…I love you Molly. Please."

Molly wiped a tear from her cheek as Allison finished talking. "It would be an honor," she replied, with equal emotion in her voice.

a/n: A reviewer pointed out to me that I have reach over 100 reviews! You guys are awesome! Please keep it up and I'll start on the next chapter right away! THANK YOU!


	39. Chapter 39

"I can't believe a stupid raid ruined the wedding planning," Lily pouted as they rode the Hogwart's Express back to school on Sunday.

"Yeah, ruined," Sirius muttered under his breath eliciting a laugh from his future wife.

Lily glared at his across the crowded train compartment. "You don't understand, Sirius. You're not a girl."

"Am I?" Allison asked, "Because I don't understand either. We have the church, the hall, my dress and to boys' tuxes-"

"Even worse that dress robes," James complained quietly. "Why are we wearing those things again?"

"Because a muggle is performing the ceremony," Lily explained in her impatient tone.

"And we have all summer to find your dress, decided on flowers and sample menus," Allison continued as if she hadn't been interrupted. "It doesn't all need to be done in one week."

"Wait," Sirius stopped her as if he'd just heard something of the utmost importance. "We get to 'sample' menus? Does that include cake?"

"Of course," Allison laughed. "Cake's the most important part!"

"We are so right for each other," he replied as he rested his arm around her shoulder.

"What about engagement photos and save the dates and invitations?" Lily persisted. "And who are your bridesmaids?"

"You, of course," Allison replied. "Cissa and Tonks, also. And Molly Weasley has agreed to be my matron of honor."

"Molly?" Lily asked, looking slightly hurt. "But you barely know Molly."

"Lily," Allison soothed, "I barely know anyone but Molly I do know. She was like a mother to me and her daughter was the first girl friend I ever had. I always imagined Ginny as my maid of honor. That can't happen so Molly's the next best thing isn't she?"

"I guess I just thought that since you wanted me to wear a different color dress that it would be me."

Allison looked to Sirius a moment before replying, "Molly's wearing gold as well. I thought with your hair color and skin tones it would just look better than red. I'm sorry Lily."

"No, I understand. Really," Lily assured her. "Molly may barely know you but she's been in your life for six years now. She's obviously the right choice."

"Alright," James spoke up when the compartment went silent for an extended period, "on to less awkward subjects. Has anyone noticed that Moony and Tonks have been gone an awfully long time? Think they're having a snog in the loo?"

"Yes, Prongs," Sirius sneered at his best friend, "Because discussing whether or not my cousin and one of my best mates are currently snogging in a toilet is so much less awkward for me. Arse!"

"What? I'm just saying…I mean haven't you seen the way that they look at each other? And how when you make her mad he's the only one that can calm her down? And he's always the first to offer? I mean, come on! I can't be the only one who sees this stuff."

"Lily, your boyfriend's more of a girl than I am," Allison groaned as she took Sirius's hand and headed for the door.

"Where are you two going?" James ordered.

"I was thinking maybe we'd have a snog in the loo," Allison teased back with his own ridiculous words, causing Severus to burst into laughter at the mixed look of disgust and chagrin on James's face.

Allison and Sirius were three train cars away before he stopped her in the corridor. "I love you," he told her as he placed a small kiss on her nose.

"I love you," she replied with a smile, placing a hand on each of his cheeks and pulling his face toward hers to kiss his lips.

"I cannot wait until you're my wife," he told her before placing another kiss on her mouth.

"I can't wait till we don't have to sneak around your crazy friend to be alone," she answered followed by another kiss.

"I can't wait to taste wedding cakes with you," he replied. She laughed while pressing onto her toes to meet his lips again.

"What the bloody hell is all this damned racket?" a bone chilling voice ordered as the door to a nearby compartment was thrown open. "I love you. No, I love you!" she continued is a mocking voice.

Sirius closed his eyes a moment to calm himself. It didn't work. Eyes still squeezed shut he replied through gritted teeth, "Just because you're marrying for money and got stuck with an emotionless twit for the rest of your life, Bella, doesn't mean the rest of us can't be excited for our own good fortune! Now, I'll thank you to return to your compartment and leave me and my fiancé to our happiness! You do know what that is right? Happiness?" As if to only make Bellatrix Black, already red in the face from her cousin's words, more angry Allison pulled Sirius toward her again making sure the ring on her left hand shone brightly in the other woman's face as she kissed him again.

"Mudblood filth," Bellatrix sneered.

Allison cut her off. "Actually I'm a half-blood," she told her with a smile. "And you're a bitch."

"Why you-"

"Black, you should probably train that mutt of yours to hold her tongue around her superiors," the blond head of Lucius Malfoy peered out of the compartment door as he spoke. "After all, my dear cousin Rudolphus wouldn't want to hear that his fiancé was being mistreated so by someone of her….stature."

Sirius was red in the face and his hand flew toward his wand in his back pocket as he yelled at Malfoy, "Maybe you need to learn to hold your own damned tongue around my fiancé. I'll be happy to teach you!"

Allison grabbed Sirius's hand and held it close to her side as she spoke, "I don't give a damn about your bigoted, backwards, inbred cousin's feelings. You and your lot _will_ learn to stay out of my way or you _will _be sorry!" She punctuated her statement by connecting a balled fist with Malfoy's jaw. "Oops," she mocked embarrassment as he stumbled backwards. "That must've been the muggle in me."

Sirius laughed as he wrapped an arm around Allison's shoulder and together they made their way back to their own compartment.

From behind them they heard a blast and turned quickly to make sure that it wasn't a curse directed toward them. What they saw made them even more elated. Tonks was holding two wands in her right hand and Bellatrix was wandless.

"Give me my wand back you filthy little half blood," Bellatrix yelled.

"Now, Aunt Bella, is that really any way to talk to your niece?" Tonks teased as she pocketed both wands. "Beside you know the rules of dueling. Your wand is mine now. That might teach you not to curse people when their backs are turned."

"You are not my-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! I am not your niece. I'm a filthy half-blood, not even worthy of licking the dirt off your shoe. My mother will die a horrible painful death after watching my father and I tortured beyond imagination for what she did by abandoning her family for a mudblood. You'll leave me to the werewolves. Blah, blah, blah. Take your damned wand," Tonks continued, throwing the wand in her aunt's face. "I don't want it anyway. And it's not like it will ever work the same for you again. It will always recognize me as its master. That's gotta hurt."

Tonks laughed as she and Remus caught up to their friends. They were met with a raised eyebrow from Sirius when he noticed the protective hand Remus held around her back.

a/n: I got tire of wedding planning and realized that there's not nearly enough nasty Slytherins and this is what I got. It's building to something but it'll take a while to get there. Enjoy the suspense and I'll enjoy your reviews!


	40. Chapter 40

"Can I ask you a question?" Remus approached Sirius in the common room one evening. They'd been back at school for two weeks now and Sirius had noticed his friend's distance toward everyone.

"Anything, mate," Sirius replied as he closed the book he was reading and placed it on the table in front of him.

"Let's walk to dinner," Remus replied as he noticed a few onlookers. It had been a busy year for the Marauders—the outing of Peter Pettigrew, Sirius's brother and cousin rejecting the death eaters, their acceptance and friendship of the Slytherin, Severus Snape, James finally dating Lily, and Sirius's recent engagement—and they were even more interesting gossip now than ever. People were even starting to notice Remus's injuries.

"It's about my cousin isn't it?" Sirius asked when they were alone.

"How'd you know?"

"James pointed it out to start," he explained. "Then I started noticing it myself. You like her." It wasn't a question.

Remus nodded.

"So what's wrong?"

"It's something she said," Remus explained. "On the train."

Sirius was quiet a moment while he thought. "Oh. The were-"

Remus threw a hand over his friend's mouth. "Yeah," he confirmed. "That."

"She doesn't know, mate," Sirius assured him after wrestling his friend's strong hand away from his face.

"Yeah, I know but…"

"But?"

"What if she finds out?"

"What if she does?" Sirius persisted, leaning against the wall.

"She'll hate me! She'll be completely disgusted and never want to talk to me again. She'll-"

"Did it ever occur to you that she'll accept you completely for the good person that you are?" Sirius countered.

"You heard what she said, Pads!"

"That Bella's threatened to leave her to the werewolves?" Sirius hissed back in a sharp whisper. "You're not like them!"

"That's just the problem! I may not be like them when I'm human but when I'm not, I'm exactly like them! If she were out on a full moon and I crossed her path I'd try to attack her."

"Maybe not," Allison countered as she approached them. She handed Remus a bag with many small corked vials inside. "Sev asked me to give you this. He thinks he may have done it." Remus and Sirius simply stared at her with wide eyes so she continued. "He observed the vial of blood that you gave him under a microscope for a full month before adding a drop of the potion to it every night. It took a few months-"

"And a lot of blood," Remus hissed, rudely.

"I'll ignore your rudeness since I know what happened three nights ago," Allison referred to the full moon before continuing. "But he thinks he's got it this time. He said there was no change in the blood on the night of the full moon."

"Really?"

"You have to drink a vial a day until the full moon and then we get to see for sure."

Remus threw the bag over his shoulder and jogged up the stairs just as an owl flew in the window.

"Mum again?" Sirius asked as he put his arm around Allison and led her to the window seat behind them.

She showed him the contents of the envelope as she answered. "Ted took this at the New Year's Party before all the commotion." It was a picture—still, obviously muggle—of Allison and Sirius dancing in a dim room lit only by small twinkly tree lights. They'd been the only two on the dance floor for the first few songs so there was no one else in the background. He was dipping her as they both smiled looking into each other's eyes. "She wants to use it for the invitations. What do you think?"

Sirius smiled as he took the picture from her hand. "I like it. Can I keep this one?"

"Probably," she replied.

He read the back aloud,

"Mister Alastor Moody

Announces the wedding of his daughter

Hermione Allison Moody

To

Sirius Orion Black,

Son of Harold and Elizabeth Potter.

December 31, 1977

Five in the evening

Godric's Hollow Chapel.

Reception to follow."

"Sounds good to me," Allison replied. "What do you think?"

"Son of Harold and Elizabeth Potter," Sirius repeated quietly.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"So this means engagement photos, save the dates and invitations are done?" Sirius asked hopefully.

Allison laughed, "Not photos. We still need those for the reception. But the other two yes."

"What else is there?"

"That you have to do?" she asked. He nodded. "Pictures, menu and cakes. The flowers I can take care of."

"Mmmm. Cakes."

"I love you, Sirius Black, but I swear sometimes you are completely useless."

Sirius stepped in front of her as they reached the entrance to the Great Hall. She was starting to get used to this. It meant a Slytherin other than Severus was around. Allison, Tonks, Remus, and Sirius had received many threats since the incident on the train. Once they even caught her alone in the library and cursed her when her back was turned. Sirius had only been gone two minutes to get a book and returned to find his fiancé writhing in pain with burns over every bit of exposed skin. When they got to the hospital wing he learned it wasn't just exposed skin they managed to curse. Because of the promise he'd made to his father over the break he hadn't tried to fight anyone after the incident. He let Frank, who was in his seventh year and had recently inquired about the Order, handle it instead. But he had gotten more protective since then. It seemed Allison was on the Junior Death Eater hit list now. No doubt for having the gall to marry a pure-blood like Sirius.

"Alright Allie?" Severus asked as he walked up behind the couple.

"Fine," she replied as Sirius stepped to the side and took her hand again, leading her into the Great Hall. "What the hell happened to you?"

"It's nothing," Severus replied, trying to hide the deep purple bruise that surrounded his left eye along with the deep gashes in his cheek, chin and forehead.

"Sev, that's not nothing," Sirius argued, inspecting his friend as all three of them joined James and Lily at the Gryffindor table. Severus had started eating his meals with the Gryffindors after Christmas. His housemates had informed him that he wasn't worthy of sharing a meal with them.

"They really got you bad this time, mate," James agreed. "Why was it?"

"I don't know," Severus replied with a groan.

"You should tell them," Lily admonished. "Or at least tell a teacher!"

"I really don't know," Severus persisted. "They jumped me from behind after I talked to Allie and they were wearing masks. They said I had more waiting for me tonight."

"Tell Slughorn," Sirius offered.

"Like that'll do any good. If it were one of you then maybe but Slughorn doesn't need me. I'm not in his little club and he doesn't think I'm…I dunno…worthy. Even if I am in his house."

"Mister Snape," Professor McGonagall interrupted the conversation from behind.

Severus shrunk in his seat at the sound of her always harsh voice. Did she hear him insulting a professor? "Yes, ma'am?" he replied, turning to look her in the eyes.

"Just as I'd worried," McGonagall told Professor Dumbledore who stood beside her. "I heard Malfoy and his friends laughing about hurting the boy Albus. We need to do something. Mister Snape," she continued, turning back to Severus, "please come with me to the hospital wing. I'll have an elf bring dinner," she finished when she saw the mournful look Severus gave his plate full of scrumptious food.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied as he stood.

"Oh, no," Lily moaned with her eyes full of tears.

"What's wrong?" James asked. "He's going to the hospital wing. He'll be fine."

"Didn't you hear her?" Lily persisted as the tears began to fall. "She told Dumbledore they hand to do something."

"And?" Sirius asked.

"Protecting Reg and Cissa meant they had to leave the school," Allison replied catching on to Lily's train of thought. She may not have been close with her professor in the future but she knew enough about the man to know he had a hard home life as a student.

"So he'll learn at home," James replied. "Yeah, it'll be weird not having him around and it'll make our task a little harder but he'll be safe."

"You don't understand," Lily told her boyfriend. "He won't be safe. Sev's dad is a muggle and he hates magic! His mum gets beaten if she uses it at home. He gets beaten just for what he is! She won't be allowed to teach him!"

Allison wanted to cry as she realized it was the first time she'd thought of Harry in over a week. She could look at James and Lily now and actually see them, not Harry's parents. But hearing about Severus's father reminded her of Harry's childhood. She was crying too now.

a/n: Sorry it's taken so long to update. It's been a weird week. I'll try to post more soon! To the reviewer who asked about the rating. No there will be no lemons. The M is for safety because there may be a little gore in later chapters. I might change it to a T though. I actually forgot about that. Thanks for pointing it out. As always REVIEW!


	41. Chapter 41

"Have you heard from him?" Lily asked the following morning as she joined Allison and the boys in the common room.

"Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let us into the hospital wing last night," James answered looking tired.

"Moony tried to tell her he was still hurt from the other night but she didn't buy it," Sirius continued. His face was swollen. "Said she healed him herself and knew he was completely healed."

"So your boyfriend had the brilliant idea to make new injuries," Remus said laughing.

"It wouldn't be so funny if he'd broken your nose," Sirius stressed.

"Even that didn't work," James continued as though he hadn't heard his friend's complaint. "She told us that were good enough with healing spells that I could fix him up myself. And you deserved it, Pads! For the hair. Why didn't I think of that muggle revenge earlier?"

"You know I expect your hair to be tamed if you're going to be in the wedding party," Allison teased before kissing Sirius's swollen cheek. "I don't want that mop in my wedding pictures!"

"If I were Harry would you say that?" James whispered as they headed out the portrait hole.

"And there's the beauty of it," Allison replied. "You're not Harry. You can't away with as much as he could."

"Hey!" Severus greeted them from the moving staircase leading away from the hospital wing. He was pulling his trunk.

"Oh no!" Lily cried. "You're going home?"

"No," Severus was quick to reply.

"You're going to my house then?" James asked. "I owled Mum and Dad about it last night…as soon as Lily told me," he finished slightly less excited realizing he probably wasn't supposed to know that information.

"They came to see me," Severus replied as he was met at the landing by Lily's tight hug, "but Dumbledore had other plans."

"Other plans?" Allison asked as she too hugged him.

"You're looking at the newest member of Gryffindor house," Severus replied, uneasily.

"How?" Remus asked. "The sorting hat only wakes once a year."

"Yes, well, the sorting hat tried to put me in Gryffindor to start," Severus explained. "But I asked to go to Slytherin instead."

"Why?" Sirius questioned.

"Because I was mad at you," Severus replied simply. "It was tempting to go to the same house as Lily but you two were already placed there as well and…well…I figured the dorms would just be a daily repeat of the train." Sirius and James had the decency to look ashamed, prompting him to continue, "It was a long time ago. In the end it's my own fault for wanting to run away from you."

"But you're in Gryffindor now?" Remus asked again.

"Moving my things in now," Severus confirmed, motioning to the trunk. "I'm not going to run away again."

"Oh, this is going to be great, mate!" James practically cheered. "We can teach you to prank and you can learn all our secrets and we can teach you the secret handshake. Have you ever wanted to become an animagus?"

"This is going to be like the train all over again isn't it?" Severus groaned.

"Worse," Remus confirmed.

"I should've taken the Potters up on their offer."

a/n: Another short one but the next chapter will be longer…and hopefully up by Sunday. Review please!


	42. Chapter 42

The rest of the term went relatively smoothly, though as there were only two weeks left from the time Severus joined Gryffindor house till they boarded the Hogwarts Express, they weren't expecting much commotion. Most of Gryffindor had already come to accept the former Slytherin as one of their own long before he was transferred. Being friends with James and Sirius was a big help on that front. There were still a few hold outs, of course but they learned quickly to keep their opinions to themselves.

There were also the ever present threats of death and severe bodily harm from the Slytherins but they'd learned to ignore them as they hadn't acted on it since that day in the library.

And now, they were on the train to go home once again. Severus was sad to say that he had to return to his parents' home for a few weeks before he could join his friend's at the Potter house. Remus was staying the whole summer with them there.

"I wish you could stay the whole summer, mate," James confessed as he slumped into his seat in their overcrowded compartment that held James, Sirius, Remus, Severus, Allison, Lily, Tonks, and Alice. Frank, having graduated the day before, was already at auror training.

"I hate the idea of you going home to him," Lily told her friend, her nose wrinkling as she referred to Mr. Snape.

"It won't be so bad this year," Severus soothed. "I'll only be there ten days then I'll join the rest of you for the summer."

"Ten days is ten days too long," Allison replied as she stood. "I'm going to the loo."

"I'll come with you," Lily offered and they headed out of the compartment together.

"The Dark Lord, himself, sent us an engagement present," they could hear Bellatrix bragging as they approached the loo. The group of Slytherins had their backs turned and didn't see the two Gryffindors behind them.

Lily's eyes grew wide but Allison clamped a hand over her friend's mouth. Silently she perform the disillusionment charm on herself and Lily so that they could get closer undetected.

"I'm not sure what its use is exactly. I mean really, who gives one teacup. But he said that it's of great importance and he may need to retrieve it someday so we're to keep it safe for him."

"So if he may ask for it back one day," another Slytherin, this one with a pug-like face reminiscent of Pansy Parkinson, stated, "It's not really a present."

"Don't be ignorant! The gift is that he trusts Rudolphus and I enough to allow us the honor of keeping one of his possessions safe."

Allison grabbed Lily's invisible arm and together they ran quietly back to their own compartment.

Inside the compartment, talk had turned to less serious things as James began to detail Sirius's bachelor party for the group.

"Seriously, mate, I don't want to-" Sirius stopped short when the compartment door flew open of its own accord. He drew his wand and pointed it blindly at now-closing door. "Show's yourself or I'll start hexing!" he ordered.

Panting, Allison removed the charm and she and Lily collapse against the closed door.

"What happened?" James asked, confused as to why his girlfriend and god-sister would be running invisibly through the Hogwarts Express.

"Bella's…got…it!" Lily panted out in response.

"Got what?" Sirius asked.

"IT!" Allison stressed as realization lit her fiancé's face.

"It's at the LeStrange house," Lily told them earning a raised eyebrow from Alice as the train pulled into the station.

The teens exited the train together, or so they thought. "Where are your mum and dad?" Lily asked Severus as they stepped onto the platform.

"They're not picking me up," he replied. "I'm taking a train to Cokeworth, then walking from there."

"But can't you just have Mr. or Mrs. Potter aparate you there. It'll be shorted," Lily offered.

"If Dad finds out, I'm dead," he answered.

"Where's Allie?" Sirius suddenly yelled behind them. They'd made it to the Potters that stood waiting for them near the floo network by now. He'd been pulling her trunk and thought she was right behind him but when he turned around she was gone. And worse, his parents and aunt and uncle were there watching him. "Where the hell is she!" he yelled as he drew his wand and advance on the family. By blood only, he reminded himself as he drew closer at pointed his wand directly at his father's heart. "Tell me where she is right now or so help me Merlin-"

"Son!" Harold yelled over him as he grabbed Sirius from behind. "Remember our agreement! We're going home! We'll find her."

"Son?" Mr. Black laughed in Harold's face. "You're welcome to him. He's nothing more than a disappointment anyway."

"FUCK YOU!" Sirius yelled as he was pulled away by Harold, James, Severus, Remus and Moody. Between the five of them, they could barely contain the angry teen.

By the time the group had arrived back at the Potter house Order members were already waiting for them there.

"What's going on?" Alice asked.

In the hurry to get out of there Elizabeth had grabbed Alice also, feeling the girl would be safer here and knowing her parents would arrive soon.

"I'll explain later," Lily answered as they entered the house and filed into the sitting room.

"LeStrange Manor," Andromeda offered before anyone could even ask the question of where they'd take Allison. "There's a dungeon under the place. My parents used to take me there when I was little and say that's where they'd bring any pure blood who had the nerve to marry below them."

"Allie's not a pure-blood," Sirius countered, remembering the dark dank room at the bottom of the long staircase with its medieval torture devices. He wondered what they were doing with her now. Was she chained to the wall or on the stretch table being pulled by the limbs.

"You are!" his cousin stressed.

"Then let's go!" Sirius replied, already heading for the door.

"Not you," Moody responded, pulling his future son-in-law back into the room.

"Excuse me?"

"You're not going," Moody repeated for the teen.

"Like hell I'm not going," Sirius countered.

"You're not!" Moody yelled.

"I AM!" Sirius yelled louder. "I've been there. I know the layout of the house and I can get to the dungeon faster than anyone else here."

"Andromeda knows the layout too."

"Not as well," Andromeda replied, looking at her cousin who was silently pleading with her. "Sirius was there only a few years ago. I have been there in almost twenty years now. He should come with us."

"We need someone of age to stay behind," Elizabeth spoke up. The room was crowded and loud by now, over fifty people were packed into the sitting room.

"I'm seventeen," Severus offered.

"Me too," Remus told them. "Just turned last month."

"Find your partners," Dumbledore told the group. "Remus and Severus will stay behind with Kelly and the other children. We'll apparate no further than twenty feet apart and surround the perimeter."

"You as good with spells as your fiancé?" Dean asked, approaching Sirius from the side. Sirius shook his head no. He'd never seen anyone as good with spells as Allison. "Then stay close to me."

"I'm with you too," Gideon Prewitt offered as he arrived on the scene.

"Sounds good to me mate," Dean replied. "Alright Black, you know the way. Take us there."

a/n: As promised at two days early as well. Review please! And maybe you'll get an update tomorrow…or Sunday!


	43. Chapter 43

The Order congregated outside the front fence of LeStrange Manor. "Sirius," Dumbledore address his student, "You, Dean and Gideon will go to the dungeons to find Allison. Andromeda and Ted will follow behind as immediate backup. Arthur and Molly will be behind them. The rest of us will cause a disturbance, a distraction. This is a war. Take no mercy. Are you all clear on the plan?" The group nodded in unison. "In that case-"

"Wait," Sirius interrupted, remembering something very important from the train, something he knew Allison would never forgive him for if he forgot. "The cup," he told them. "Voldemort gave the cup to Bella and Rudolphus for safe keeping. It might be here."

"Allison is most important right now," Professor McGonagall told him. "We can come back for the cup at a later date."

"I agree with you that Allie's more important," Sirius told her, "but she wouldn't. And if we don't get the cup tonight, he'll move it and we'll lose our chance."

"He's right," Moody told them. "The seven of them will find Allison and get her back home. The rest of us will find the cup."

Slb slb slb slb

"You filthy little half-blood! You actually think yourself worthy of having the Black name. Carrying the Black children!"

"Your son seems to think I'm worthy," Allison snapped back, receiving a curse—crucio—for her efforts.

"My son simply needs to be shown the way," Walburga Black informed her. "He'll come to his senses! Trust me this will save you both a lot of pain in the end."

"I think both of your sons have found their way very nicely without your help!"

"Shut your insolent little mouth you bitch!" Bellatrix yelled, lifting a small dagger and slicing it across Allison's cheek. "We could let her live, Auntie," she suggested. "Just leave her scarred and ugly. Sirius won't want her anymore if she's ugly."

"I wouldn't presume to know what Sirius wanted if I were you," Allison persisted. "You know very little about him."

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Breaching the walls was easy. The group of Death Eaters that sat in the front room of LeStrange Manor didn't seem to be expecting them at all. With a wave of his hand Dumbledore managed to silence them all as the rest of the order split into groups. The seven tasked to rescue Allison followed Sirius through a door off the entryway. Half of the remaining Order members headed up the stairs while the rest stayed to fight and disarm the Death Eaters in the front room.

They heard a scream from downstairs.

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"I seem to remember telling you to hold your tongue," Sirius could hear his mother's voice shouting as he ran down the stairs toward the LeStrange dungeon. "A lower life-form such as yourself needs to learn her place."

Bellatrix laughed before shouting "Crucio!" Sirius picked up his pace then heard his cousin again. "Damn wand! Hasn't worked right for over a month!"

Breathing a sigh of relief Sirius, Dean, and Gideon approached the door. With a nod of the head, Dean threw the door open and the seven of them crashed into the room.

"Drop the wand, Bella," Sirius warned with his own wand pointed at her heart.

"Oh, Siri," Bella cooed, her wand still pointed at Allison as she lay on the floor in the fetal position, "we both know you don't have the guts."

Andromeda was dueling with her aunt in the corner as Gideon, Dean, Ted, Molly and Arthur searched the room.

"You have no idea what I'm capable of!" Sirius growled, thinking of the pensieve and viewing his own death at her hand.

"Crucio!" she cooed. Allison twitched and screamed on the floor before falling unconscious. It wasn't as strong as the crucio curses he'd seen before but it was enough to hurt.

"Avada Kedavra!" Sirius called. Bellatrix fell to the floor, dead. Sirius stared on wide eyed as Dean returned. He'd heard the curse.

"Alright, mate?" Dean asked, placing a hand on Sirius's shoulder.

"I just killed someone," Sirius replied with tears in his eyes.

"It was the right thing," Dean assured him. "This is a war. You have to remember that. And we have to get her home."

"We're clear," Gideon announced as he returned to the main room or the dungeon.

"Avada Ked-"

"Protego!" Gideon called jumping in front of Andromeda just as Walburga shouted the curse. It backfired and Sirius watched as his mother also fell to the floor dead.

"Pick her up," Dean ordered Sirius. "Our mission was to rescue her. It's not over until we see her safely home."

Sirius did as he was told and scooped Allison into his arms. "Her wand," he told them. "Ten and three quarter inch vine wood. She'll want it when she wakes up."

"Got it," Andromeda called, pulling the stick from the pocket of her aunt's robes.

"Let's go," Dean told them.

They ran back up the stairs and toward the entrance hall.

"We've had a loss," Dumbledore told them as he met them at the door, "but have eliminated the threat. We're searching the house now for the cup. If it's here, we'll find it. I'll send Elizabeth home."

"We can stay," Andromeda offered. "Ted and I."

"That would be helpful."

"I'll stay too," Arthur told him. "Molly should get back. It's too soon to tell but according to Allie's timeline…"

"Yes, of course. Molly, will go back with the boys and Allie."

Sirius had already walked out the door and continued through the lawn. He was approaching the apparation point when Dean caught up to him and grabbed his arm. With a crack they were all gone. Gideon and Molly followed moments later.

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"I used an unforgivable. I'm going to Azkaban. It was in the pensieve. I went to Azkaban," Sirius kept repeated over and over as he paced the floor in front of his bed where Allison laid still unconscious and waiting for Elizabeth Potter to return.

"No, you won't," Dean answered. When they returned he escorted Allison and Sirius straight upstairs and locked them in the room.

"But I-"

"No!" Dean told him grabbing him by both shoulders and looking him in the eyes. "You went there looking for her. You got captured. Moody and Harold formed a search party and tracked you both there. They brought more aurors with them. Gideon and I went downstairs because we heard the screams. They were torturing her and making you watch! I was disarmed but managed to grab your wand from the floor. I killed her! Do you hear me? I KILLED HER! I used your wand and I killed her!"

"But-"

"I'm an auror! It's my job!"

Sirius nodded as someone knocked on the door.

a/n: Review! I'm working on the next chapter now. I seem to have Hermione crucioed a lot in my stories. Better than Avada I guess. Again, please review.


	44. Chapter 44

"Sirius, dear, please come to breakfast," Elizabeth pleaded. It was the following day and the Order members were slowly trickling in. When Harold returned around midnight he collected Dean and the other aurors and they concocted their own version of what happened the night before, leaving out an non-Ministry members. They went to file their reports and were now returning.

Sirius shook his head, "I want to be here when she wakes up."

Elizabeth nodded as she left the room.

Ten minutes later there was a knock on the door. "You alright?" Reg asked as he made his way into the room.

Sirius shrugged. "I'll be better once she wakes up," he answered, not taking his eyes off Allison motionless in the bed. "You? I'm guessing you heard about last night by now."

"I heard," Regulus confirmed, "And I'm okay, I guess. I mean, I kind of figured it would come to that in the end. We were fighting on different sides. You did the right thing."

Sirius's head shot up and he stared at his brother.

"Dromeda told me. Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. I know Dean's taking the blame for it. He told me to keep my mouth shut."

Sirius nodded.

"How are you going to tell her though?" Regulus asked.

Sirius groaned. "How do you tell someone their dad died?" he asked. "I mean I don't give a damn about our dad but if it was Harold I'd be crushed. Mum's offered to break the news to her."

"But you don't want her to?"

"Oh I want her to," Sirius corrected, "but somehow I get the feeling Allie needs me to."

"Maybe it won't be that hard on her, you know? It's not like she grew up with him. I mean I know he's her dad and all but she always calls that John Granger guy daddy. She only just found out about Moody less than a year ago and she's spent most of that time at school." Regulus's voice was hopeful as he explained his logic.

"She knew him before though. They fought in a battle together. He took her on missions. Even if it won't be like losing John, it'll be like…like when she lost me in the future. Except it'll be worse because she'll blame herself. Because in the future she knows he's still alive."

Regulus nodded, knowing that there was nothing he could say or do to make his brother feel any better. He placed the tray of food Elizabeth had sent up on the dresser and silently left the room.

It was another four hours before Allison woke up asking for water. Sirius was quick to oblige, sitting her up in bed and refilling the glass five times before she was ready to talk.

"How'd I get back?" she asked, hugging him tightly and resting her head on his chest sighing as she listened to his steady heartbeat.

"We went to get you," Sirius answered simply. "Once I realized you were gone and saw my parents at the station we came straight home and the order was already arriving. Alice's parents heard the commotion as came here. They alerted everyone else while they waited. Dromeda knew where to look for you."

"Where'd they take me?"

"LeStrange Manor. A lot of crazy pure-blood extremist like my parents like it because they can use the dungeon to…"

"Torture," Allison finished for him. "Did someone look for the cup while you were there?"

Sirius nodded, "It's been destroyed."

"And the Order? Is everyone alright?"

Sirius shook his head.

"Who?" Allison asked, thinking of all the stories she'd heard in the future and trying to figure out who died in June 1977.

"Allie, I'm so sorry," he choked out.

"Who?"

"It was your dad."

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"She hasn't said much," Sirius explained to Dean at the wake a week later.

Dean hadn't been around much. With the death of the head auror there was a lot of commotion at the ministry and with the Order. Harold Potter had asked for a demotion from his administrative position in the auror office in order to take over as head auror and keep the Order in the loop. They'd given him what he asked for. Many of the aurors and Order members who'd been at LeStrange Manor were unable to visit in the week time between Moody's death and his wake.

"I didn't really expect her to," Dean answered as the two watched Allison from across the room, receiving hugs and kind words from virtual strangers. "Do you think she's alright?"

"No idea. I think she blames herself, though. She whispered something about he should be alive right after I told her, the timeline."

Dean nodded before making his way across the room. "Alright Allie?" he asked as he reached the front of the line and hugged the girl. She didn't answer. "It's not your fault."

"But the timeline," she whispered.

"It had to change," he whispered back. "Your whole reason for coming was to change things. There are risks and your father knew what they were. It's not your fault. It's Malfoy's and we'll get him for it. There's already a search."

Allison nodded. "Thanks," she told him as the line moved on. Not being able to take it anymore Allison turned and walked out the back door of the Potter's house.

"I don't know what to do anymore," Sirius confided in his best friend as he saw his fiancé leave. "Nothing I try helps. Nothing I say works."

"She's just hurting right now, mate," James soothed. "Do you want me to try?"

"You suck at this stuff!" Sirius replied.

"You're not wrong on that but I can try."

"Give it your best shot then. Nothing else has worked."

When James finally caught up to Allison she was at the apparation point. He grabbed her arm just in time.

"Where are we?" he asked when the squeezing sensation ended and their feet hit solid ground again.

She pointed to the edge of the cliff.

"Hogsmeade? You know it's not safe."

"Harry, Ron, and I used to sneak out and night and come here," she told him as if he hadn't said anything. "With your cloak and the map. It started in fourth year, when Sirius came back to help during the tournament but we kept coming every week even after Sirius went to Grimmauld Place." She walked inside the cave behind them to the back wall, where she sat with her back against the jagged rocks. "When Umbridge took over during our fifth year it was the only place we really felt safe. It was just us here. Our little hide out, the one place they couldn't get to us with their lies and propaganda."

"Allie, are you alright?" James finally asked.

"He's not supposed to die, James," she cried. "It's not in the timeline for him to die. Not now. If I hadn't come here, changed things-"

"I'd die," James told her. "And Lily, Dean, my parents, Reg, Sirius. Frank and Alice would go insane. Harry would be abuse and hated his entire childhood. Neville would have to live in fear. Sev would be a death eater. Think of all the good things you've done already! All the lives you've already saved! You came here prepared to die! Don't think we didn't all know it. We did! You're a lot like him. Moody was prepared to die every day that he lived. He was ready for this."

"But…"

"You know it's true. 'The last enemy that we shall destroy is death.' He used to say that when Mum would point out the danger of one of his missions. To die gracefully and without fear, to embrace death when it comes. Your father was ready for that. He understood it. It's why we have the ability to win this war. We aren't afraid of death because we know it's for the greater good. They are because they have nothing to look forward to in the afterlife."

a/n: You will most likely not receive another chapter until tomorrow. But a few reviews would still make me happy. Thank you!


	45. Chapter 45

In response to Jenna Linda's review: If you are confused I suggest you go back and read the last two chapters! Dumbledore tells Dean before they leave LeStrange Manor that they "lost" someone. Dean tells Allison at the wake that it was Malfoy's fault (not hers) and that they would get him for it. It is all explained.

a/n: Moody didn't have to die but I feel as though someone should. JKR said that's the reason she killed Fred (though I'm still bitter about it). She said if all the good guys and main characters lived it would make the story less real. In war there are casualties on both sides and as Moody was never my favorite character and didn't have a real relationship with Hermione, Neville, Harry, etc. in the future and appears very little in this story I figured he was the best choice. I thought about making it Reg but I just couldn't bring myself to save him only to kill him off…even as a hero.

Now on with the story:

"Where did you and James go?" Sirius asked later that night as he lay on the couch in his bedroom. Allison was currently occupying the bed. She slept better when he was near. It was strange really but she just felt more comfortable. The Potters had put up spells and wards to make sure that they didn't share the bed and the door was left open at all times but it worked. And Lily seemed to like having the room to herself as well.

"The caves near Hogsmeade," Allison replied as she rolled onto her side.

"Did it help? You seem better now."

"It did actually."

"Good. Prongs usually isn't good with the whole talking and not making as arse out of himself thing in these situations."

"He did good," Allison laughed as she rolled back onto her back. "Actually he reminded me of Harry slightly."

"Really? I thought you said Harry's personality is more like Lily's."

"It was most of the time, but he was the only person ever willing to put me in my place and snap me back into reality if I needed it. He had to get that from James."

Sirius laughed. "So this is probably the last thing you want to talk about right now but the wedding…when do you want to start planning again?"

"We can start looking for photographers tomorrow if that's alright with you."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. We should get all the boring stuff out of the way so we can enjoy the taste testing. I'll owl Cissa, Tonks, and Molly tomorrow and figure out a time to go dress shopping."

"You're sure you're ready?"

"Snuffles, I love Moody because he was my father but I barely knew the man really. And to be honest he scared me when I was younger. Like really, really badly. I'm sad that he's dead, but James was right. He knew what he was fighting for and he knew the risks. I don't think he'd want to go any other way."

"You know if you call me Snuffles I'm going to call you Mione."

"Is Siri better?" she laughed.

"Yes actually," he laughed also. "Good night love."

Slb slb slb slb slb

"Are you sure you want to do this so soon?" Lily asked a week after the funeral.

"I'm sure," Allison replied as she pulled a cardigan from her closet. They were getting ready to meet Molly and the other bridesmaids to go dress shopping. Elizabeth was downstairs waiting for them by the floo.

"But-"

"Lily, I know you mean well but I'm fine."

"How can you be fine? It's only been two weeks since your father's death. I didn't want to do anything at all that soon after my parents' deaths."

"It's different Lily."

"How?"

"You grew up with your parents. I didn't."

"But-"

"Drop it, Lils," James told his girlfriend as he entered the room. "If Allie says she's fine, she fine. Mum asked me to hurry you two along."

"We're ready," Allison answered as she exited the room.

Lily glared at James on her way out. "Sorry, love but it's true. You have to let her deal with things her way."

"We'll talk about this later," Lily threatened.

"Prongsy's in trouble," Sirius teased in a sing-song voice.

"Shut it!"

a/n: Very short, I know. I'm working on the next chapter right now. It'll take a couple days to post but it'll be longer. Review please!


	46. Chapter 46

"How was dress shopping?" Sirius asked as Allison collapsed on his bed that night. The girls had been gone all day. They ate breakfast, lunch and dinner out and were only just returning home at half eleven.

"Elizabeth found a dress shop that's open till midnight," she groaned in reply. "Midnight! Who tries on frilly, poofy, taffeta gowns at midnight?"

"Lily, Molly, Cissa, and Tonks?" Sirius suggested with a laugh.

"Thank goodness, no, but I thought we'd be done by six, seven at the latest. It's a Sunday for Merlin sake! But no we only just finished fifteen minutes ago! I thought Tonks was going to murder me!"

"I'd avenge you."

"Yeah, thanks."

"Did you get the dresses though?"

"Yes, but it took forever just to find a style that I liked. Everything's short and pastel for summer. Three shops before we even found long dresses! And the women in them look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them that I'm getting married. 'Too young. Big mistake. Messy divorce.' I wanted to hex them."

"Yeah, I got the same thing when we were looking for tuxedoes. They're wrong of course." There was worry in his voice and an unsure look in his eyes as he finished.

"Yes," Allison answered, standing from the bed and moving to the center of the room to kiss him. "They couldn't be more wrong."

It only took a second for Sirius to push her away. When she looked at him with hurt in her eyes he explained, "You can't kiss me like that when you're in that nightgown. Not for six more months at least. It causes a…um…problem for me."

Allison laughed as she tried to hug him.

"No," he told her quickly, throwing his hands in front of him as a shield. "It's best we don't hug either!"

"Good night, then," she replied through her laughter as she climbed into his bed.

"Sweet dreams love," he replied as he turned out the lights and lay on the couch.

Slb slb slb slb slb

The room got suddenly quiet as Allison entered the Order meeting the following Sunday. It was the first meeting since her father's death. Sirius squeezed her hand and kissed her temple before leading her further into the room.

"Are you sure you want to be here right now dear?" Mrs. Longbottom asked with a kind smile.

"Why wouldn't I?" Allison answered without masking her frustration.

"It's only been three week-"

"If Allie says she's fine, then she's fine," Harold cut her off from the front of the room. He was having a harder time with the loss of his long time best friend than she was with the loss of her father but he was handling it. He was throwing himself into the hunt for Lucius Malfoy. "Now, as I was saying, we've managed to trace his wand activity but he seems to be bouncing all over the continent. Because Malfoy is over seventeen now it was a special kind of trace. It takes five to eight hours for the information to reach us and by the time it has he's already moved on. Never the less, we have aurors investigating each and every city his wand has been used in."

Looking around the room, Allison could see that this was true. Half of the Order was gone, the half that worked in the auror department.

"Thank you, Harold," Dumbledore announced as Harold took his seat and Dumbledore took his place at the head of the room. "With the recent events I have been unable to recognize the hard work of a group of Order members. Allison, Sirius, James, Remus, Regulus, Lily, and Severus have worked very diligently on the task assigned to them during Christmas holiday and thanks to the hard work done by their committee we have managed to find and destroy all but one of Voldemort's horcruxes. For the first time in many, many years we are ahead in this war and are looking to go on the offensive. Training starts tomorrow. It will be held at Hogwarts so that our younger members can participate. Everything leading up to this has been simple in comparison to what lies ahead for all of us, for now the war really begins."

Sirius looked at Allison with dread in his eyes before his gaze continued down the row to his friends, bother, and cousin, Tonks, who was now being admitted to attend meetings and trainings as well. She'd seen that look on his face only one other time—in the Department of Mysteries when he was fighting by Harry's side and the boy had just barely dodged a curse. He was scared.

"It'll be fine," she whispered as the meeting was dismissed. "You heard Dumbledore, we're already ahead of him. And now he's lost his most devoted followers. We're going to win this."

He nodded before smiling. "We get to try menus tonight!" he told her with pure excitement in his voice. She knew he was still scared but she also knew he didn't want his friends to know how worried he was so she laughed along with him as they stood to leave.

Knowing that they were going to take on additional training soon, Elizabeth urged them to speed along the wedding plans. In the past week they taken their engagement photos and decided on bouquets. The final thing on their list was the menu and cakes, which were being delivered to the Potter's kitchen at the very moment.

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"Why can't we get the motorcycle cake?" Sirius pleaded with Elizabeth.

"Because it's not a wedding cake," she argued with the pouting teen.

"But it's a motorcycle!"

"Maybe for your birthday dear."

"But I'll be at school on my birthday, Mum."

"Maybe for your birthday, love," Allison told him as she pulled him by the arm up the stairs.

"Where are we going?"

"Bed," she answered.

"But it's still early," Sirius protested.

"You're welcome to stay up if you like but we have training tomorrow and you will regret it."

a/n: Review.


	47. Chapter 47

"Ouch," Sirius groaned as they stumbled through the back door and into the Potter's kitchen.

"I hurt everywhere," Severus, who had been staying there since the funeral, agreed.

"The ouch and the hurt and yeah…" Remus mumbled unintelligently.

"Ugh," was all that James could get out.

Everyone else enter quietly. Lily and Regulus stumbled in with the others but with far less complaining. Allison walked in smiling with Harold and Elizabeth and promptly started making dinner.

"How are you so bloody energetic?" Sirius asked, barely lifting his head from the table.

"I told you to get a good night sleep," Allison replied as she continued to help Elizabeth in the kitchen.

"I told you to get a good night sleep," Sirius mocked. "You're pretty," he finished when he caught the look his fiancé was giving him.

"You know complimenting me isn't going to work every time right?" she asked.

"Yes, but when that didn't work for father he usually bought mother presents," Sirius answered.

"Go shower, dear," Elizabeth told him, "Before you say anything else stupid."

"Well it worked," Sirius grumbled on his way out.

"You do realize you just compared me to your mother though, right?" Allison asked as she continued in the kitchen.

"Ick. Point taken."

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"The boys said they don't want to come down for dinner," Lily informed Allison and the Potters when she returned to the kitchen.

"Are they that tired dear?" Elizabeth asked as she began serving the plates.

"I don't think Sirius even made it to the shower," Lily answered. "I went to his room to tell him the food was ready and he was snoring, face down, half on his bed."

"They're not used to doing so much work in the summer," Harold laughed.

"Maybe you all should eat upstairs," Elizabeth suggested. "All of you."

Allison nodded and placed all the plates on a tray to levitate to the second story. When they got there she took her plate and Sirius's into his room. She could barely hold them, though, once inside due to how hard she was laughing at the sight. Sirius lay topless and face down, slowly sliding off of the bed.

"Wake up, love," she urged, placing the plates on his dresser and crossing the room to ease him to the floor, as he was getting dangerously close to a painful meeting between his face and the hardwood. "Sirius, come on," she continued as he continued to snore. "I brought your dinner."

His head shot up. "Food?"

"Yes, food. Now eat so you can shower and get to bed early tonight."

"Is training always this hard?" he asked as she sat on the couch and he brought both of their plates to it.

"Yeah, I thought your dad was bad but mine totally kicked my arse today," James added as the other teens joined them, taking places on the bed and floor.

Allison shrugged. "If you think your dad is hard, you should've seen your son," she answered. "It should get easier after the first week or so though."

"The DA meeting that you showed us didn't seem that bad," Regulus replied.

"No, they weren't," she continued, "but he was always harder on a select few of us."

"You and Ron?" Severus guessed.

"And Ginny. I think he was most scared of losing us. He had as dodging and blocking curses in the boys' dormitory until the other's got too tired and threw us out."

"What do you think our real chances are of winning this?" Lily asked finally.

The room went tense.

"I don't think there's any other possible outcome," Allison replied as she finished her meal.

"But I mean winning without any more deaths?"

"It's a war. There's always going to be deaths. I think our odds are pretty good though. Of his major followers that I know of from the future five died in the Lestrange house that night, three between Christmas holiday and the end of term. Five others are set to get the dementor's kiss this week and Pettigrew got it months ago. That takes out a lot of the major followers already."

"How many does that leave?" Remus asked.

Allison thought for a moment before answering, "I believe fifteen. But Malfoy's one of them and he's on the run. He'll get the kiss when they find him as well, provided they bring him in alive."

"He can always recruit more followers though," Regulus reminded them.

"But not ones that he trusts this much. His newer followers will be even more expendable than the ones he has now."

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"You said all that to make them feel better didn't you?" Sirius asked that night as they lay across the room from each other.

Allison had finally moved her own bed into the room and given hers to Lily. She still slept in his though reasoning that it was far more comfortable. He didn't mind.

"That obvious?" she asked.

"Only to me. Sweet dreams, love."

a/n: You may be wondering who is dead and who gets to make out with rotten dementor lips. The list is as follows:

DEAD IN LESTRANGE BATTLE

Bellatrix

Sirius's parents

Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange

DEAD BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NOW

Nott Sr.

Evan Rosier (died in first war according to books)

Wilkes (see note above)

DEMENTORS' NEW MAKE OUT BUDDIES

Pettigrew (as stated earlier)

Walden Macnair (Captured previously on an auror mission)

Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange (Captured in their home)

Goyle Sr. (Captured on an Order mission disguised as an auror mission)

Crabbe Sr. (Different mission but see above note)

Now that that's settled please review!


	48. Chapter 48

"You were right," Sirius told Allison with a kiss on the forehead as they walked around the Potter's back garden one evening after returning from training. "It did get easier."

They had been training every day for over a month now. Summer was almost over and they would be returning to Hogwarts in three weeks.

"You're improving amazingly," she replied with a smile. "Like the Sirius I saw when I was younger."

"No," he disagreed adamantly, shaking his head. "I'll never be like him."

"You'll be just as talented though," she persisted, "Even more, probably."

"I was thinking last night," he changed the subject as they both sat in the dew dampened grass, "there's one thing we haven't planned for the wedding. Well after the wedding."

"You know there's no time for a honeymoon until after the war," she replied with a small laugh.

"I'm not worried about that," he assured her.

"Really?"

" Well _**that**_ I'm a little anxious for, yeah," he laughed. "But I meant where will we live. I know we'll have our own dorm at Hogwarts but I meant after graduation. Where do you want to live?"

"I thought you wanted to stay in Godric's Hollow."

"Then shouldn't we start looking for places before we go back to school? We can ask Mum to pick up our things in Diagon Alley next week when they give us a few days break and we can look around here for something cheap."

"We could," she replied, "But I just figured we could move into my dad's house. He left me everything. It needs a little fixing up but it's got four bedrooms and two bathrooms and a huge yard. Just like you said you wanted. And it's close."

"Can we paint?"

"Sure."

"The muggle way?" he asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"I'll let James help you with that."

"Even better," he barked his laughter in a way that made her heart swell. She hadn't heard him laugh like that since before Christmas.

Slb slb slb slb

"I can't believe we have to go back to school in one week," James pouted as they entered Flourish and Botts to buy their school books.

"It won't be so bad," Sirius reasoned.

"Maybe not for you," Regulus replied with a frown.

"No," Sirius told his brother. "That part will suck! I don't want to leave you here alone but it's only one more year then Allie and I will be living less than a mile away and you can come over anytime. She even said we can set up one of the rooms for you."

"Yeah because rooming with newlyweds is exactly my idea of a good time," Regulus joked back.

"Seriously, mate. It won't be that bad."

Regulus nodded as they approached the counter to pay for their things. Suddenly he fell into his brother's side, hard.

"Oi, watch it," Sirius yelled at a pair of pudgy Slytherins—one boy, one girl not that you could really tell the difference—as he righted his brother.

"Oh, poor baby Regulus needs his big brother to stand up for him," Amycus Carrow pouted in a teasing way as he approached the counter.

"Yeah, like you'd be half as bold without that brutish sister of yours backing you up," James defended as he grabbed their bags and pulled his friends from the store.

"You'll get yours blood traitors," Alecto Carrow, Amycus's twin sister called behind them.

"So, we got the books," Sirius stated, ignoring the threat. "The girls are at the stationary store. Sev and Moony are getting potions supplies. You know what that means, Prongs?"

"You're going to apparate us all home and skive of-" James began hopefully but was cut off by his friend who was smiling and shaking his head.

"Robes! And you know Mum would find us. She tracked us down the last two years."

"But why can't I just wear last year's robes?" James pouted to his friend.

"Because you've worn holes in all of them and you grew four inches," Elizabeth answered from behind them. They turned to see the rest of their party with her.

James sighed. "Fine. Do your worst!"

"He acts like he's being led to the gallows," Allison laughed as she took James's spot next to Sirius and slipped her hand in his.

"Yes well if you haven't noticed, James can be quite the baby about some things," Sirius whispered back.

"Oi, no secrets in wizard kindergarten!" James yelled from behind.

"And he seems intent on proving my point," Sirius continued with a laugh.

As they walked Allison's grip tightened on Sirius's hand. Soon he knew why. "Oi, Black," a handsome, if not strange young man with black hair and demented eyes called from a sidewalk café. "I hear congratulations are in order," the man continued as he stood and started circling the couple, eyeing Allison up and down. "She's a pretty little half blood. Not exactly up to your parents' standards but you could do worse," he finished, sneering and Lily and James's intertwined hands.

"Piss of Crouch," Sirius replied as they continued walking.

"I'm just trying to be friendly. It's a shame what happened to your father, darling," he continued, following them until they reached Madam Malkin's where the store's owner met him at the door and told him to go before she called magical law enforcement.

"I'm fine," Allison told Sirius before he could ask.

"Do you think he knows where Malfoy is?" Remus asked as Madam Malkin started measuring James who wriggled uncomfortably.

"With all the Blacks and Lestranges gone," Allison whispered, "you can count on Crouch hiding him."

"But his father-"

"Is completely blind. Didn't know he was a death eater till Igor Karkaroff ousted him in front of everyone in his trial."

"I wish we could just round them all up right now," Severus grunted.

"Me too," Harold commented, "but I need cause for anything to stick."

"We'll find it then," Sirius told him.

"No. You'll go back to school, keep your head down, continue training and be ready when we tell you to," Elizabeth told them ending the conversation as Lily was called to be measured.

a/n: I got early access to pottermore. Today was a good day. Please review!


	49. Chapter 49

"Does it seem like there were even less people here this term than last?" James asked as they climbed through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room. The welcoming feast had just ended and only twenty four first years were sorted into houses. The number of second through seventh years was small as well. Tonks had ended up moving to their table after the sorting because all of her dorm mates were gone.

"They're scared," Allison replied. "Not so much the students as the parents." She lowered her voice to a whisper as she continued, "It happened just before I came here too. When they all knew for sure that Voldemort was back parents started pulling their children from school thinking they could better protect them at home."

"Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were practically empty though," Sirius added.

"On the bright side, no new Slytherins," Lily put in.

"And twenty new Gryffindors," Severus continued as they walked straight through the common room and up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. "That's got to be some sort of record."

"I suppose the sorting hat figured if they were brave enough to show up here they were brave enough to be in Gryffindor," James groaned as an owl flew in dropping the evening edition of the Daily Prophet in his hands.

"More bad news?" Remus asked.

In the week between buying their supplies in Diagon Alley and returning to school the teenaged friends woke up and went to sleep with Death Eater attacks on their minds and in the news. There had been two a day, starting with a fight between Sirius and Barty Crouch Jr. after his robe fitting. It was only a fist fight but it was enough to ruffle feathers on both sides.

"The reason the train took the detour on the muggle track is because a few Death Eaters were attempting to block our way to the school," James informed the room after reading the paper.

"Who?" Sirius asked only half interested.

He cared of course but they'd been able to track down so few of the death eaters that were causing these minor disturbances. There had only been one casualty since Moody's death in June. It came the night that five death eaters received the dementor's kiss. It was some muggle in Wales, near Fabian and Gideon's hiding place. They were moved and the culprits were being tracked. Nothing yet.

"Some bloke named Travers," James informed them, "and another named Avery. 'Travers reportedly told the aurors that they wouldn't take him alive and proceeded to fight to the death. Avery claims to have been under the imperious curse but is being held in Azkaban while the ministry decides his fate. The third assailant has escaped apprehension.' Suppose the Great Hall will be even less crowded in the morning," he told them after finishing the excerpt from the article.

"Are you going to be okay without Alice here, Lily?" Allison asked noticing the far off look in her friend's eyes.

"I suppose so," Lily replied as she paced the room. "I'll probably be busy with Head duties anyway right? And this way will make it much easier to hide the Order from her."

"She's bound to find out soon out there," Sirius replied, taking Allison's hand and pulling her onto the bed with him. "It's more dangerous there than here. And eloping with Frank, a new Order member himself, there's no way he can keep it from her for long."

Sirius was bitter. If they were honest with themselves everyone in the room was upset with Alice for choosing to complete her seventh year at home. Of all the empty seats in the Great Hall that night, Gryffindor only had one. It was Alice's. She was the only Gryffindor to run from the school, from the conflict, from the war. She couldn't run forever they hoped she knew. Even if she didn't know the details, she was right in the middle of all of this just like the rest of them. And she'd be a lot safer here with them.

"Think he'll get the kiss?" Remus asked with a shiver, attempting to change the subject.

"Avery's a liar. He wasn't under any curse. Besides they don't do trials for death eaters anymore. If you're suspected and you have the mark, you get the kiss. It's only a matter of time before the Prophet reports it."

Another owl flew through the window just then. It was from the Pottters.

"He's getting the dementor's kiss in the morning," James read. "They used Veritiserum on him and he admitted to everything. He's got the mark too."

Slb slb slb slb slb slb

"What do you suppose they're up to?" Tonks asked as she once again joined her friends at the Gryffindor table.

Three weeks into the new term, the number of death eater attacks was dwindling in the news. The few known death eaters in the school—at least known to the Order—were still threatening younger students but had yet to follow through with anything.

"Regrouping maybe," Remus told her from her right side. "It's nowhere near over that's for sure."

"Do you really believe it ever will be?" she continued. "I mean it's the same fight we've been fighting for centuries."

"But it's never been this bad before," her cousin answered before turning to Remus. "Hands where I can see them, mate!"

Tonks blushed and Remus glared as everyone else laughed.

"Besides," Allison continued, "as long as there's been bad, there's been good. The Order will fight it. Always."

"So Mum's been talking about the wedding," Tonks changed the subject. "She wants to throw a bridal shower for you the day we get back from school for Christmas. And Lily, Cissa, Molly and I were thinking about a hen party. What do you think?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow at this new development. "If you have a hen party does that mean I get to have…"

"Yes," she answered. "Nothing too extreme though," she directed the last bit at James who held his hands up in defense.

a/n: I'm just trying for some filler until Christmas. I really want Christmas to come so I might skip a lot of time in the next few chapters but don't worry, you're not missing anything. Voldemort is plotting but he has yet to make a plan…or has he?

Review!


	50. Chapter 50

"What's wrong?" James asked as he slid into the seat next to his girlfriend at breakfast. It was an early December morning and they were all anxious to get home for Christmas in a week.

Lily push that morning's Daily Prophet across the table with one hand and shoved her breakfast away with the other. James's eyes widened as he read. "I'm so sorry love," he whispered as he passed the paper down the table to their friends.

Alice had been visiting her parents while Franks was away on an auror mission and the Prewitt house was attacked. Alice's parents were killed and she was admitted to St. Mungo's in a coma. Barty Crouch Jr. was seen fleeing the scene when aurors arrived. His parents were being questioned at the moment but denied any knowledge of the attack or their son's whereabouts.

"Yeah, like they'd tell," Severus grumbled, crumbling the paper into a ball and throwing it across the room.

"Actually, they would," Allison corrected. "At least Mr. Crouch would. Nothing's more important to him than his job…except maybe his image. This puts both of them in danger."

"Professor?" Lily asked as their Head of House walked past the table.

"Yes, Miss Evans."

"Is it possible…can I go to see Alice?"

"I'm sorry, no."

"But-"

"I cannot permit you to leave the school until the end of term," McGonagall cut her off before crouching slightly and lowering her voice, "But I can arrange transport for you all to go straight to St. Mungo's when the train arrives in London next week. Until then, Mrs. Longbottom is well taken care of by Elizabeth Potter."

Lily nodded before hanging her head.

Slb slb slb slb slb slb slb

"Dumbledore's just shown me," Lily told Allison as she entered their dormitory.

Allison was packing. They'd be returning home tomorrow. "Shown you what?"

"Your memories."

Allison nodded. "Why'd he wait so long?"

"I didn't want to see them but James told me I should. When Alice awoke last night he told me that you were trying to prevent something far worse from happening to her. I'm…I'm sorry for how I've been treating you."

Lily had been giving Allison the silent treatment since the day she got the news that her best friend was injured. Except of course during an Order meeting that same night when she blamed it all on Allison, yelling at her in front of everyone that if she hadn't come back it never would've happened and they'd all be better off without her. That her rush to save everyone was endangering them more.

Sirius immediately jumped to her defense telling Lily to shut the hell up and that she was acting like a spoiled child. That no one would be better off without her and everyone in that room damn well knew it.

James told his friend to watch his mouth and not to speak to Lily in such a way.

But Sirius didn't listen. He even went further to say that it was Alice's own fault for running from the school like a coward.

Frank, a newer but full Order member, took offense to the insult of his new bride and began yelling at Sirius, telling him that if they hadn't insisted on being so secretive about everything and told Alice the truth she'd have gone back to school with them in the fall.

Needless to say, that meeting got nowhere with so much anger and hurt feeling on both side. Dumbledore reminded Frank that it was not Allison decision to keep Alice in the dark but one made by the higher members of the Order before dismissing the group.

Dean pushed past Frank on the way out telling him to be careful how he spoke to and of Allison in the future because next time he'd have more than Sirius to answer to. He also pulled Lilly aside and reminded her of exactly why Allison had come and how many lives she improved already.

Lily avoided Allison. Sirius and James weren't speaking either. Remus and Tonks were being pulled from one couple to the other, trying not to pick favorites. The past week had been a mess.

"Its fine," Allison answered as she closed her trunk and headed for the door.

"Allie, I'm trying to apologize! Don't be a baby and walk away!"

Allison rounded on Lily. "You're calling me a baby? That's rich! The way you blow up on me for trying to help you! Trying to help your son! You should apologize but that doesn't mean that I have to accept it and it sure as hell doesn't give you the right to yell at me more if I don't! Now if you'll excuse me, my fiancé and I have plans for the evening. One good thing about James giving him the silent treatment is we don't have to worry about him interrupting us!" She turned away again.

"I wanted to ask about Harry," Lily pleaded. "Please."

"What?" Allison asked, her hand still on the door.

"The night that Sirius died and you chased Harry into the lobby at the ministry?"

"Yes?"

"He looked at you, but it wasn't like her normally looked at you. It was angry, like he was full of hate. Hated the sight of you. Why?"

"He was possessed," Allison answered simply without turning around.

"By You-Know-Who?"

"For Merlin's sake Lily, his name is Voldemort! If you're going to fight him you can't be afraid to call him by name!"

"Voldemort then. What Voldemort possessing him."

"Yes," Allison turned as she replied.

"How?"

"He was a horcrux! We've talked about it in meetings before. You know this. Harry is a horcrux!"

"But-"

"You say I'm putting everyone in danger by rushing, Lily," Allison cut her off, "But we have a deadline. If Voldemort manages to make Harry a horcrux, we'll have to kill your son! And if that prophecy is made before we end this, there's no other option. Voldemort will stop at nothing until you're all dead!" Her eyes were filled with tears that she refused to let fall. "To you, Harry's some abstract thing. Yes, you know he's your son so of course you love him for it. But to me, he's real. I've held his hand, hugged him, comforted him when he cried. I've seen him fly and I've fought by his side. To me he is very real. If you feel like I'm rushing it is to save his life. I don't want to kill your son Lily but more than that I don't want to kill my best friend. But if we don't end this soon, there may not be another choice." Allison closed the door behind her as she left the room.

a/n: Wow. Really? The more death eaters I get rid of now the less there will be in the future and the less death eater babies they will have to mess stuff up. I had no idea when I was writing it that that would be the outcome. Thank you so much for informing me!

Also to those who said Alice was safer not at Hogwarts do you see how wrong you were now?

A final note. I finally saw DHp2 today. I've never want to cry/laugh/scream/cheer so much in my life. And now I want to cry more because it all ended for me today…well I guess not really as I still have fics.


	51. Chapter 51

The train was tense on the way home the next day. James glared at Sirius who glared right back. Tonks stared out the window, rubbing the lump on her head that she got when she miscalculated the entrance and walked into the door jamb. Allison had her nose stuck in a muggle magazine that she had Dean bring to her a week earlier. Lily looked uncomfortably from face to face trying to think of something to say to ease the tension. Remus was trying to strike up conversation between his two best friends. Neither of them were having it.

Finally, halfway through the journey, Sirius pointed his wand at the luggage rack above their heads and shrunk both his and Allison's trunk. Placing them in his jeans pocket he took his fiancé's hand and pulled her up. "We're going to find our own compartment," he announced as they left.

"Shouldn't be too hard!" James yelled after them.

"Yeah, with all the COWARDS that didn't come back to school," Sirius yelled back just before the door slammed behind them.

"You know you're wrong right?" Remus asked James once Sirius was gone.

"He had no right-"

"Neither did Lily!" Tonks interrupted. "Or Frank! Attacking Allie like that in front of everyone. It was ridiculous and childish and she deserved better than that. Sirius had every right to stand up for Allie and you'd do the same!"

"You don't know what you're talking about," James argued back.

"I know right from wrong," Tonks persisted. "And I know that the two of you are wrong so swallow your damned pride and apologize." With that Tonks pulled her trunk down and left the compartment as well.

"Where are you going?" Remus asked.

"To find my cousin," Tonks answered from the corridor. "Or my own compartment."

"You're not supposed to go alone," Remus reminded her as he took his own trunk down as well. He turned at the door to address his friends. "They're getting married in a couple weeks and everything is going to change. If you want to be a part of that, I suggest you apologize sooner rather than later. You should be the ones apologizing!"

"He's right you know," Lily told her boyfriend as the door closed behind Remus.

"Not you too."

"But he's right. Sirius wouldn't have said those things to me if I hadn't attacked Allie like that. He's never been rude to me before, even when I deserved it and let's face it, I've deserved it a lot in the past. He's found something that matters to him more than himself and I should've expected him to blow up the way he did. And I know that you agree with Sirius." James looked as though he was about to protested so she continued. "Not with the things he said but with the point he was trying to make. That Allie is doing the right thing and that none of this is her fault. And you're both right. So you should apologize to Sirius. He was right."

James nodded. "She really didn't deserve that," he told her. "She only wants to make our son's life better and Alice and Frank's son too. And the rush…"

"There's a deadline. I know that now. If that prophecy is made, Alice and Frank will be tortured to the point of insanity and Harry will become a horcrux and…"

Slb slb slb slb slb

Tonks and Remus walked three cars and saw empty compartment after empty compartment in their search for Allison and Sirius.

"Do you think maybe we went the wrong way?" Tonks asked, turning and preparing to walk back the way they came.

"Maybe," Remus replied. "Do you want to just find our own compartment?"

"This one's empty," she answered holding the door.

"Their mostly all empty," he pointed out as he took the door and allowed her to enter first.

She gave him a sad smile as he sat across from her. "Hogwarts will never be the same will it?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

He shook his head no. "Maybe it'll be better though."

"How so?"

"Maybe when this war is over there will be less hatred and fear. Maybe the houses will be more united instead of three against Slytherin. Maybe it'll be a better place for our children to go to. I mean, it was pretty good for us. The first place that some of us felt accepted even but there was always this undertow of fear. Maybe we can change that."

"Remus, why do you spend all of your holidays with the Potters?" Tonks asked. She'd wanted to for some time now but didn't think she should. But something he just said resonated with her. "Was Hogwarts the first place you ever felt accepted?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

She didn't understand. She knew that her father, being a muggle-born, had felt alienated throughout his childhood but Remus was a half-blood. "What about your mother?"

"She's kind of like Sev's mum," Remus replied. "She'd do anything to keep my dad around. He doesn't hate magic though just me."

"I don't understand."

Remus let out a deep sigh. Now or never. "Do you know who Fenrir Greyback is?"

"The most feared werewolf of all time," Tonks answered. "Some believe he's the alpha of all werewolves in Britain, possibly even all of Europe. My mum told me once that he wasn't even a wizard but a muggle boy that was attacked then shunned by muggles and wizards. That the ministry took him out of the muggle world but didn't give him any rights in ours."

Remus nodded as she spoke. "Greyback fell in love with a witch. She was kind to him. They were even friends but she didn't actually know what he was. She didn't love him back though. She married a muggle man and they moved away. They're my parents. I was born and for six years everything was fine but one day father and I were playing football in the park while mum watched us from the bench. This man sat next to her and they started talking. He became enraged when he saw father and I. That night, the three of us went for a walk in the full moon and Fenrir attacked me. Father could handle a wizard but not a werewolf." Remus looked up at her with fear in his eyes. Afraid she would run.

She simply cried. "I'm so sorry, Remus," she told him finally.

"They kept me locked in the basement until I was eleven. Mum had to beg the school to allow me to attend. If Dumbledore hadn't just taken over the year before I doubt I would've. But he let me in and I met James and Sirius and the Potters invited me over for Christmas my first year. Mr. Potter knew what I was right away and since he's an animagus he stayed with me during transformations. I only went home for a week that first summer. James owled me every day but they always returned to him. Harold and Elizabeth petitioned the ministry for custody. They showed up on day eight of my first summer and I haven't been back since. Sev's made a potion. I don't lose my mind when I transform anymore but I'm still a werewolf. A monster."

While he spoke, Tonks had crossed the compartment to sit next to him and placed her arm around his back. "You're not a monster, Remus," she told him. "You're a kind, generous person who deserved better than his lot in life."

"But on the train, when we returned to school after Easter, you said-"

"That Bella threatened to feed me to the werewolves?" He nodded. "And? It was a stupid threat from an ignorant person. I'm smart enough to understand that just because some werewolves choose to act savagely doesn't mean they all will. The same with wizards. You're not a monster and you never will be. And you're not going to change my mind about it either."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as she spoke and he readily accepted the embrace. When she pulled back slightly he cupped her cheek in his hand and kissed her.

a/n: Finally Remus and Tonks! REVIEW! Please! There's not much left but have no fear, I'm already working on yet another story! REVIEW!


	52. Chapter 52

"We're going home," Sirius announced once they'd arrived at the train station. "Our home," he finished.

The Potters were waiting along with a few other Order members, ready to transport the teens to St. Mungos to see Alice but Allison didn't feel quite welcomed by the group and Sirius didn't want to put up with any more of it so they decided on the train that they wouldn't be visiting.

Before school started they'd cleared the house of all magical articles and stored them with the Potters while muggle contractors made the necessary repairs. The house was now livable and their things were moved back in.

"I'll go with them," Severus spoke up. He'd been at the ministry with Dumbledore registering a patent on his new potion but met his friends at the station to welcome them home. "If that's alright?"

"Sure, mate," Sirius answered. "We're painting…the muggle way. If we can stop for some paint on the way." He looked hopefully at Allison.

Harold and Elizabeth looked uneasily at each other, ready to protest.

"I can drive them all to the store," Dean offered. He was there as part of the detail. "We can pick up Kelly after and I'll make sure they get home okay."

"Thank you, Dean," Elizabeth replied as she rounded up the rest of the teens.

Sirius, Allison, Severus, and Dean started making their way to the barrier with their hands on their wands.

"Pads," James called after a piercing stare from Lily, Remus and Tonks. "Oi, Pads, wait up. I need to talk to you."

Sirius stopped but didn't turn.

"I'm sorry," James simply whispered when he was close enough to know his friend could hear.

"I'm still going home," Sirius replied.

"And I'm still sorry," James said a little louder this time. "I'll come by after Mungo's, yeah?"

"Yeah."

When James arrived at Sirius and Allison's house that evening he could hear muggle rock playing amid laughter inside. Opening the door he saw Allison, Kelly, and Narcissa clearing the table of the dinner remains and Sirius and Dean innocently painting in the living room. Severus was nowhere in sight until the boy ran full speed at Sirius wielding a full can of paint over his head. He was covered in robin's egg blue from head to toe and soon Sirius was a lovely shade of sea foam. Dean scourgified the floor as all three of them leaned against the wall laughing.

"You're paying for that bucket yourself, Sev," Allison called from the kitchen though they could hear the laughter in her voice.

"Completely worth it," Severus replied as he took up a paint brush and set to work on the wall again.

"Seems I missed out on all the fun," James called as he stepped further into the room.

"Shit," Sirius yelled. "How'd you get in here? The charms!"

"Relax Sirius," Dean laughed. "The charms are set so Order members can get in. And Harold is the secret keeper so no one can come without his approval."

"Okay, good," Sirius nodded in his relief.

"So what are we celebrating?" James asked as Regulus came out of the loo trying to wipe the paint from his hair with a wet towel.

"Scourgify," Allison called as she entered the room carrying a pitcher of ice water and five glasses. "Sev's had a very good day," she answered.

"Good how?"

"The ministry gave me a patent on the Wolfesbane Potion," Severus answered as he took a glass from Allison.

"That's cool," James congratulated, "but what exactly does it mean?"

"That he'll be able to afford to replace that paint he just wasted and then some," Sirius answered for him.

"And that he's almost guaranteed a position as a potions master," Narcissa added as she entered the room and kissed Severus on the cheek before taking him by the hand and pulling him from the room.

"Reg, do you think you can help me move that wardrobe in your room?" Allison asked giving him a look that clearly stated they needed to leave the room. He caught on quick and followed her out of the room.

"Kelly and I should get going too," Dean stated. "We're supposed to be in hiding you know."

"You don't do a very good job of the hiding thing, mate," Sirius laughed. "See you tomorrow."

"I really am sorry," James told Sirius once they were alone.

"You said that already," Sirius commented.

"Yeah I know."

"I'm sorry too mate," Sirius told him. "I shouldn't have talked to Lily like that."

"She did kind of deserve it," James relented. "She was out of line and I knew it."

"Don't let her hear you say that."

"She already said it actually, but yeah probably not a good idea for me to repeat it."

"It can be our little secret," Sirius assured him. "Grab a brush. We already wasted a lot of paint tonight so you're safe for now."

Half an hour later, Regulus peaked his head around the corner. Sirius and James were laughing and joking as they worked on the walls. He joined them and soon the remaining three occupants of the house had as well.

"So are you staying here then?" James asked no one in particular.

"No," Allison answered. "I'm going back to your house and taking over Sirius's room till the wedding."

"I'm staying here," Sirius answered. "Thought it might be good for us to stay apart until the wedding…romantic you know?"

"You come up with that Allie?" James teased.

"That was all him actually," Allison laughed.

"Sev and Reg are staying too. Remus is coming over later, after meeting Tonks' family."

"Hasn't he met them already?" James asked.

"Not as their daughter's boyfriend, he hasn't," Regulus replied laughing.

"Boyfriend? Since when?"

"He kissed her on the train then asked her out," Regulus answered with a fake dewy eyed expression. "She told me all about it when they came by to drop Cissa off."

"Good for Moony. So you're having a three week long sleepover or something."

"Actually Moony and Sev were going back to your house tomorrow. Do you want to stay too?" Sirius asked seeing the hurt in his friend's eyes.

"Can it be a three week sleepover?" James asked.

"Just don't wreck my house," Allison pleaded.

a/n: There. James and Sirius fixed. Review.


	53. Chapter 53

The three weeks leading up to the wedding flew by and soon it was the night before the big day. Allison had told Sirius she wouldn't mind him having a bachelor party since she was having her bridal shower that night. It was something that normally would've please both Sirius and James but with the increased security, there was nowhere to go. They couldn't go to the muggle pub because Regulus and James wouldn't be served and they couldn't go to a wizard pub for obvious reason. So they had Dean buy them some butterbeer and firewhiskey and they stayed at Sirius and Allison's house drinking. It was not a fun party. Nowhere near the intense extreme party that James had envisioned throwing for his best mate the night before his wedding. But they had to work with what they had and they had butterbeer, firewhiskey, poker, and muggle rock records.

"Who's walking Allie down the aisle?" James asked out of nowhere an hour into the party.

"Drink," Sirius ordered.

James did as he was told and threw back a shot of firewhiskey. "She didn't asked Dad and Arthur's not doing it either."

"Drink!" Sirius ordered again.

James scowled at his best friend.

"Hey, you're the one that made the mention her and drink game," Sirius defended as he sipped his butterbeer.

"Only because I thought it would be an easy way of getting you pissed! You can't go five minutes without mentioning her usually," James argued even as he threw back another shot.

"I'm not showing up to my wedding hungover," Sirius explained. "Do you know how bad she'll make me pay for that? On our wedding night!"

"Drink," James told him.

"Those aren't the rules and you know it!" Sirius told his friend. "You made them up!"

"And he's probably too drunk to remember them by now," Fabian replied. "Besides, there are potions for hang overs."

"Really?" Sirius asked in awe.

"Of course," Gideon laughed at the younger man's expression.

"Damn it, Moony! Why didn't you tell us that before?"

"I was trying to keep you out of trouble," Remus defended. "Thanks a lot guys. They're likely to be expelled before graduation now!"

"No," James contradicted. "Sirius has Allie to keep him in line now."

"Drink!"

James happily obliged this time.

Dean followed. "Pre-emptive," he explained to the strange looks the others were giving him. "I'm walking her down the aisle."

"Really?" Severus asked.

"She said that the only other person she could imagine asking was Remus because of how well he took care of her in the future as her magical guardian and all but he's a groomsman so he can't."

"But you?" James asked. "Not that I have any problem with you or anything, it's just do you really know each other that well?"

"Other than Sirius, she said I'm her best friend here," Dean explained with a shrug.

Slb slb slb slb slb

"What do you suppose the boys are doing right now?" Lily asked as Allison opened yet another lacy piece of lingerie.

"Probably playing some drinking game that requires them to take a shot if they mention me," Allison suggested as her face turned bright red upon seeing Narcissa's present.

"I think it'll be perfect for tomorrow night," Narcissa suggested with a sly wink.

"You are such a Black," Allison laughed.

"Thank you. Thank you!"

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"I feel as though I should be giving you some sort of advice or pep talk right now," Dean said as he nervously paced the bridal room of the church.

"No pep talk necessary," Allison assured him as she straighten the bow tie of his tuxedo. "I know I'm doing the exact right thing in marrying Sirius."

"That sounds like a better pep talk than I could give anyway," he replied. "You look stunning by the way. Sirius is a lucky man."

"Thank you."

"I know this probably isn't the wedding you always imagined-"

"It's to the man of my dreams, and everything else is a good substitute. Especially the man giving me away."

Dean smiled down at her as he took her arm.

The bridal march began.

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"The couple has decided to write their own vows."

"Allie, from the first time that I saw you in the Great Hall I knew that you were special. I've never met a woman that could make my heart beat faster and cause me to stumble over my words. Since that first afternoon on the school grounds just the touch of your hand has made me lose my train of thought. You always seem to know just what I'm thinking and what I need, sometimes even before I do. You are the strongest, smartest, bravest, and most beautiful person that I've ever met. I'm so lucky to be able to raise my children and grow old with you. I love you more than anything in this life."

Allison was in tears by the time he finished his speech. "Sirius, I've always felt such a strong connection to you as a friend and a confidant. You gave me a reason to keep going in some of my darkest times. Your barking laugh has always had the power to make me forget everything around me. You keep me grounded and send my head into the clouds all at the same time. There is no other person I would want by my side through all the troubles we are bound to face in the future. I couldn't imagine a better husband or father than the intelligent, caring, brave, fun-loving man that I know most of the time I am the only one who gets to see. I love you."

"The rings please?" the muggle minister asked.

" 'S'not too late Allie," young Charlie Weasley whispered to her as he presented them with the rings.

"Sorry Charlie," she whispered with a pat on his head as Sirius laughed.

a/n: Sorry it took so long to update. I was finishing another fic. Irish Eyes Will Make You Smile. It's an Seamus/Hermione pairing. If you haven't already read it you should. I think it's pretty good. A few others agree. Anyway keep reviewing on this one and look for a new fic soon. The titles the only thing I need to post it. I already have three chapters written. REVIEW!


	54. Chapter 54

"You look beautiful," Sirius whispered to Allison as they danced at the reception, held in the Potters' ballroom. "Absolutely stunning, Allie."

Allison blushed in his arms. Her dress was a bright and crisp white with cap sleeves, a sweetheart neckline and an empire waist. The train was half the length of the dress itself and there were no bows or beading. It was simple and it was beautiful. It fit the woman wearing it perfectly. "Thank you," whispered back. "You look quite dapper yourself. Muggle attire suits you."

"I always thought so," he agreed with a wink.

"I love you Sirius Black."

"I love you Allison Black."

Her face fell slightly.

"Is something wrong love?"

"Would you terribly mind calling me Hermione?" she asked after a moment's hesitation. "I know that I said I prefer Allison before but that was when I first got here and you had only just died in the future and James reminded me so much of Harry and I was so overwhelmed with everything and everyone and-"

"I kind of prefer Hermione anyway," Sirius silenced her. "From the first time James told me about you. I thought it was a very pretty name."

"Thank you."

"Anything for you, Hermione," he replied with a wink.

The reception seemed to drag on forever. Sirius simply wanted to take his new bride home so they could finally spend a night together away from prying eyes and yelling James. He wanted to spend his first night with Hermione as husband and wife. But their family, friends and guests seemed to have other plans as they continued to toast the couple and request a dance with the bride and groom and taking pictures and commenting on how beautiful Hermione looked and how lucky he was a lucky man. No one told her that she was lucky of course, just beautiful.

"When are they going to leave?" Sirius groaned as Hermione took her seat next to him.

"We don't have to stay," she replied, kissing him on the cheek.

"We don't?"

"No," she laughed. "We can leave whenever you're ready."

"Well I can stay," he replied reluctantly. "If you want to stay that is."

"No, we can go."

"No really, I don't mind sta-"

"Sirius," she cut him off, "take me home."

"Yes, love."

Slb slb slb slb slb

Sirius stood awkwardly in the master bedroom. He'd only done this once before and even then it was bad. He had been a fumbling, awkward fourth year with an older girlfriend who had used him to make her ex-boyfriend jealous and dumped him the following morning in front of the entire common room. It was humiliating and miserable and he'd no intention of going through that pain again. But this would be different. He and Hermione were married.

Just a few...well more than a few…hours ago they'd made a promise to spend love honor and cherish each other for the rest of their lives and he couldn't wait to get her home to start the loving part. But as he waited for her to come out of the bathroom he was getting more and more nervous. What if he was bad? What if she didn't enjoy herself? What if he hurt her? Should he lie on the bed as he waited? Start undressing? Or just stand here awkwardly in the middle of the room?

Stand awkwardly in the middle of the room it was. She was slowly opening he bathroom door. When she stepped into the room, his jaw fell open.

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"Where on earth did you find that?" Sirius asked as he held Hermione close to him early into the morning.

"Cissa got it for me," she explained, blushing for what must've been the hundredth time in the past hour as the red lace—more like string—bodysuit laid in a crumpled mess at the foot of the bed. "It was a bridal shower gift."

"I always did like that cousin. How are you feeling?"

"A little sore," she answered honestly.

He reached into the bedside table, pulled out his wand and placed a heating charm on her abdomen.

"You're so good to me," Hermione joked as she curled more tightly into his side and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"You've made me the happiest man alive Hermione," he replied as he kissed her back and extinguished the lights.

a/n: A little bit of fluff. I don't write lemons or smut so sorry to those who were hoping for it. Also sorry that it's short but the next won't be. Promise. Review and I'll work on the next.


	55. Chapter 55

"My eyes! For the love of Gryffindor, my eyes!" James screamed the following morning as he barged into Sirius and Hermione's bedroom.

Hermione shrieked and pulled the sheet up to her chin.

"Didn't you ever learn not to come into a married folks bedrooms without knocking?" Sirius reprimanded his friend without bothering to cover his nakedness.

"Get out!" Hermione yelled as James continued to stand in the door and stare. "NOW!"

"Yeah, yeah, okay," James agreed as he backed out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Hermione stayed in bed with the sheet pulled up long after James was gone and Sirius was dressed. "Are you coming, love?" Sirius asked laughing slightly.

She shook her head.

"He might have some important news for us," Sirius continued.

She still didn't move.

"Would it help if I brought clothes to you in bed?"

"And held the sheet around me while I change just in case," she added.

Sirius nodded and started opening drawers to find her clothes.

As they exited the room, Sirius grabbed a muggle basketball which he threw at James when they entered the living room. James caught it with the skill of a seeker. Allison continued to hide behind her husband.

"What was that for mate?" James asked as her tossed the ball back.

"What was barging into my bedroom on my first night with Hermione for, mate?" Sirius countered.

"Technically it's morning," James pointed out.

"Why did you come over?" Sirius asked very slowly.

"Have you read the Prophet this morning?" James asked.

"Of course we haven't read the bloody Prophet this morning! We were asleep when you got here!"

James opened the paper that he had folded under his arm and showed the new couple the front page.

"Three Arrested in Bulgaria on Suspicious of Death Eater Activity, Kiss Performed," Hermione read aloud as she stepped out from behind Sirius.

"Crouch and Malfoy were captured in some bloke named Igor Karkaroff's place in Bulgaria last night. Apparently they couldn't pass up some muggle torture to ring in the new year. The Bulgarian ministry extradited them all back to London and they were given off to the dementors with morning," James told them excitedly before something else seemed to grab his attention. "Hey, why'd he call you Hermione?"

She let out a deep sigh and smiled as she placed the paper on the coffee table. "Because I asked him to," she answered as she made her way into the kitchen.

"Really? Why?" James continued.

"Because I want him to call me by my real name," she explained as she started making breakfast.

"Can I?" James asked.

"Of course," she sighed.

"Wow. Thanks, Hermione."

"Um, you're welcome James," she replied.

"I think I'll be going home now to gauge my eyes out. Bye Hermione, Sirius." He walked to the floo and was gone.

"You know he's going to use your name so much that you'll want to change it again don't you?" Sirius asked as he came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I think we need stronger wards," she laughed as she started to serve breakfast. "After breakfast?"

"I was hoping we would spend the rest of the day in bed," Sirius suggested. "We leave for school again tomorrow."

"And we'll have a private dormitory and common room," Hermione pointed out.

Sirius pouted.

"It'll take five minutes and assure that James—or anyone else for that matter—can't interrupt us until tomorrow morning when we leave for the train."

Sirius grabbed his wand from his back pocket and pointed it at the floo, charming it to alert them if anyone attempted to enter the house or grounds by any means.

Slb slb slb slb slb

"How was the rest of your day yesterday, Hermione?" James asked as soon as she and Sirius stepped through the floo and into the Potter's living room.

"Lovely thank you," she replied with a smile.

"Really, Hermione? What did you two do all day, Hermione?"

"Do you really want the details?" she asked with a sly smile.

"No, thanks, Hermione," James replied with a twisted face as he lowered his head and walked out the door.

"Well that was a neat little trick," Sirius laughed.

"Very," she replied as they also made their way out the door.

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"This is nice," Hermione told Sirius as they entered their private common room late that night. "It's like our own little flat."

"Want to test the bed?" Sirius asked with a wink.

"Sirius Black, if you keep up like this I might start to think sex is the only reason you married me."

"I married you because I love you. The sex is just a bonus. Bed?"

"We have to study for NEWTS," Hermione protested.

"We only just got back to school," Sirius countered. "There's nothing to study yet."

"There's six and a half years' worth of material to study!"

"And it will still be there tomorrow."

"So will classes. And the longer we wait the more likely James is to figure out our password to enter here from the Gryffindor common room."

Hermione's eyes grew wide as Sirius took her hand and led her down the hall into their bedroom.

a/n: I lied. This one is short too. Action to come soon. I'm going to estimate five to seven chapters left…at the very most. I'll try to update again tomorrow. REVIEW!


	56. Chapter 56

a/n: Before I go any further let's get one thing straight: JAMES IS NOT, I REPEAT NOT, A PERVERT. One of my reviewers said that but he isn't. He's excitable and wanted to share the news. I like to think of the James that I am writing more as a puppy. Sure he causes trouble but he has good intentions and needs excess attention. He in no way meant to see his best friend and god-sister naked in bed and does NOT intend to interrupt them in such a way again. Thank you. Now on with the story!

"I need to talk to him, though," James argued with the painting that guarded his best friend's common room. It was mid-April, they'd been back in school for over three months and he was having a certain amount of separation anxiety being away from Sirius so much.

"Not without the passphrase," the painting countered.

"But-"

"Mr. and Mrs. Black specifically instructed me that only persons who know the passphrase may enter their private quarters."

"Well, who knows the passphrase then?" James persisted.

"Mr. and Mrs. Black."

He hung his head as he slumped against the wall pouting. He didn't really _need _to talk to Sirius. It was more of a want really. Though Remus, and now Severus, were also very good friends Sirius was his best and sometimes very good friends just aren't as good as best friends. Besides that Severus and Remus were becoming very good friends as well and James often felt like the odd man out when they got all scholarly on him. Plus he had a great prank idea and needed his friend's help in bringing it to fruition. He'd expected things to be different after Sirius was married but it really hadn't. They spent the majority of their time in the Gryffindor common room with their house still and Sirius still hung out with the lads quite a bit. Hermione didn't even mind when he pranked. The only real problem was on weekend mornings such as these. They liked to sleep in though James didn't believe them to be sleeping at all. But he also didn't like to think about that.

Dejected, James was about to leave when he heard the portrait creaking open. Sirius and Hermione stepped out with large smiles and intertwined fingers.

"It's about bloody time," James told them. "Do you know what time it is? How long did you plan on sleeping in today?"

"It's eight in the morning, mate," Sirius answered with a raised eyebrow.

"Well yeah but…still…" James pouted as he followed them toward the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Ah," Sirius teased throwing an arm over James's shoulder, "Does Jamsey feel neglected?"

"Shove off," James replied, pushing Sirius and causing him to knock into Hermione.

She let out a small gasp and James was about to apologize when Sirius shoved him hard into the staircase banister. "Watch it!" he practically growled.

"It was an accident, Pads," James defended. "I'm sorry." He turned to Hermione. "I'm sorry, 'Mione. I didn't mean to push him into you."

"It's fine," she assured them both, wrapping both arms around Sirius's waist from behind and giving him a soft squeeze. "Really," she whispered. "We're fine. Promise."

With a final glare at his friend, Sirius accepted his wife's response and continued toward the Great Hall. James followed behind, watching them carefully.

Once in the Great Hall, Hermione and Sirius approached the head table to speak to their headmaster and head of house and James took his seat with their other friends at the Gryffindor table, still watching them carefully.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked with a sigh as James sat.

"There's something different about them today," James replied, still watching carefully.

"You say that every day," Lily pointed out. "I'm starting to think you're just jealous."

"If I'm jealous of anything it's that…" James trailed off, mentally kicking himself. He couldn't bring that up in that way. "Nevermind."

Severus laughed, knowing full well what James was having trouble hiding.

"Anyway, it's true. They were all smiley and happy when they left their common room," James continued in order to change the subject.

"They're always all smiley and happy now," Severus interjected.

James continued in an annoyed voice. "And I gave him a little shove on the stairs just as a joke you know? Well I accidently pushed him into Hermione and I thought he was going to murder me. But then she told him that they were fine. And look at her. She just looks different. It's like she's…"

"Glowing?" Tonks interjected as she sat. While James was speaking they all turned to look at the couple that was now talking excitedly with the two professors and the medi-witch.

"Yeah exactly," James replied, finally turning to his food. "I don't get it."

"It's a good thing you're cute, love," Lily told him as she kissed his cheek, "because you really are quite thick."

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"I think she's pregnant," Remus enlightened him.

James choked on his eggs. "Pr-pre-pregnant?" he practically yelled.

Severus threw a hand over his mouth to avoid any further attention as Sirius and Hermione took their seats at the table.

Everyone stared silently with large smiles on their faces.

"What?" Sirius asked as Allison unloaded an owl of its burden.

No one replied so with a shrug he turned to his food.

"Another Death Eater dead," Hermione announced before folding the newspaper and taking a tentative bight of her breakfast. Things had been slow on the warfront. In fact this is the first death eater death or attack since they returned to school. They all wondered what was going on but the older Order members weren't sharing much of their intel with the younger. "Gideon and Fabian only came out of hiding a week ago and the first thing they do is hunt down Yaxley."

James took their pile of mail and began to leaf through it. "How's Molly?" he asked holding a letter addressed to Hermione in Molly's handwriting. "It must be hard with newborn twins. I wonder if she's sent any baby pictures."

Lily elbowed him in the side to shut him up.

"She's getting a lot of help from Arthur," Hermione shrugged. "And Bill's great with Percy." She took the letters from him and stuffed them in her pocket. There were three: one from Molly, one from Dean and one from the Potters.

slb slb slb slb slb slb

"So what does this mean for the war?" someone spoke up from the back of the room.

Dumbledore had just announced Hermione's pregnancy to the Order at their weekly meeting. She'd wanted to keep it secret for as long as possible. Or at least until her second trimester. She's heard from her mother that most miscarriages take place in the first trimester and she didn't want to jinx anything. But Dumbledore, McGonagall and the Potters thought it best that they inform the Order as soon as possible so that they could strategize for any battles or other dangers. In preparation, Hermione and Sirius had invited their closest friends to their common room for dinner instead of eating with the school and broke the news to them there. They also sent letters to the Weasleys, Dean, and the Tonks family. They would be keeping it a secret from the rest of the school.

"It means 'Mione's not fighting in any battles," Sirius replied in a voice that clearly told the speaker he was a moron.

Hermione looked slightly disappointed but she didn't say anything. She'd promised her husband, friends and family that she wouldn't do anything to endanger her child and she intended to keep that promise. She loved the little life growing inside of her already and it was going to live.

"Hermione has offered to continue the others' training here at the school as well as work with Professor Flitwick in battle strategies and logistics," Dumbledore explained. "She will still have a very active role in this war. She just won't be on the battlefield when the time comes."

The meeting ended then with many congratulations for the parents-to-be.

a/n: Wow! I didn't even know I was going to do that. I planned on it being right after the final battle but it just came out this way. Anyway, I'm so sorry it took so long to update but sadly it will take a long time for the next as well…probably. School, work, other obligations. You don't want the long-winded explanation. So please review and I'll start working on the next chapter as soon as I have a few free minutes. Thank you all for reading and basically just being amazing!


	57. Chapter 57

Hermione frowned at her reflection in the mirror as she attempted to suck her belly in just a little more. Truth be told, she hadn't gained much weight yet, not even a full ten pounds and unless you knew what you were looking for you could never tell that she was pregnant. In fact even with Sirius's increasing overprotectiveness and the omnipresence of a very alert James, Remus, Severus, Lily and Tonks no one else in the school had managed to figure out her happy little secret. And after today it would be a non-issue.

"Will you stop that?" Sirius asked as he pulled their trunks behind him into their private common room.

"I'm fat," she pouted in response.

"You're beautiful," he corrected, abandoning the trunks and placing his arms around her waist holding her from behind.

"I don't want to be fat in our graduation pictures," she continued to mope as if she hadn't even heard him.

"Even if you were fat, which you most definitely are not, no one would be able to tell in the robes they make us wear here. No one's noticed yet," he pointed out.

There was a knock on the wall outside of their common room and Sirius went to pull the portrait that protected them from the remainder of the school open.

"Can you believe this will be our very last meal in the great hall," Lily asked wiping a tear from her eye as she and the rest of their friends entered the common room.

"Speak for yourself," Tonks corrected as she slumped in the room behind them looking upset as she clung tightly to Remus's hand. "I'm still going to be here next year and the year after. And all alone mind you!"

Sirius shook his head. "This could all be over next month," he assured his younger cousin. "You heard Dumbledore at the last meeting. Voldemort is losing patience and the Death Eaters are losing their faith in his power. He's bound to attack soon to keep their spirits up and when he does, they're all going down."

"How exactly does that help me when I'll still be returning to Hogwarts alone in September?" she persisted.

"Reg will be back."

She tried to hide the joy that those words brought her but she couldn't stop smiling as the seven of them made their way to the Great Hall together all pulling their trunks behind them.

Just after breakfast the seventh years were to meet in the transfiguration classroom while the rest of the school and their families gathered on the quidditch pitch where the graduation ceremony was to be held. After that there would be a reception in the Great Hall before they boarded the Hogwarts Express with their classmates for the last time.

Today they would be starting their lives as fully trained and of age witches and wizards and for this particular group the distant future was very unsure. All they knew in this moment was that of the six of them, two would be receiving auror training, one would train as a healer, one would be apprenticing a world renowned potions master, one would be the personal assistant to the school's headmaster, one would be locked away until she gave birth to her child and all six plus their younger friend would continue to do their part to fight the greatest evil that their world had ever known.

"So now that we're about to leave Hogwarts for good will you tell me the password?" James whispered to Sirius as the group continued down the hall.

"He will not!" Hermione answered from in front of them with a stern glare toward her husband.

Sirius remained silent.

Slb slb slb slb

The remaining Hogwarts students filed out to the large yard near the lake. The seventh years were seated on a stage behind Dumbledore and the professors while the rest of the students took the remaining chairs after the families of the graduates had been seated.

Dumbledore had just given one of his usually unusual speeches, ending it on a cautionary note about possible future trials that the wizarding world was bound to face soon before introducing the head boy and girl.

James and Lily approached the podium wearing large smiles and walking hand in hand. He had just cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak when his eyes grew wide and he wrapped his arms around Lily throwing he to the floor and covering her with his own body just as a flash of green light zoomed past where her head should be.

All they could hear now was screaming and the shuffle of feet as parents ran to protect their children and professors stood to defend their students, school and home. Hermione knew in that moment that this was it. This was the battle. She knew it even before she saw the hideous, snake-like face emerging in the distance, firing killing curse after killing curse in a hiss like voice. That was when Sirius pulled her out of the demon's line of sight.

"Stay down!" he ordered. "You made a promise."

She could see the pleading in his eyes and had no intention of arguing. Instead she did as she was told and wrapped her arms tightly around him as he pulled her behind the stage.

"We've planned for this," he explained. "Tonks, Reg, and Dean will get you to the hospital wing. Pomfrey should be there soon to care for injuries. She knows how to get the castle to defend itself and you'll be safe there. Then the men will come back out."

"Come with me," she pleaded. "I can't lose you again."

Sirius looked down at her with tears in his eyes. He knew it was a very real possibility that he could die today and never grow old with Hermione, never raise their child and see her turn into a woman with a family of her own. They'd just found out the sex yesterday and he'd already sent out for a catalogue from Madame Malkins. "I can't," he told her. "I have to fight. I have to protect my family." He looked up in time to see James losing a duel to a Death Eater and Harold running to the aid of his son. "All of my family," he continued. "And Harry."

"Be safe, then?"

"I'll do my best," he assured her just as her security detail reached them. "I love you!"

"I love you too!"

He kissed her swiftly and then he was gone.

"Come on," Dean told her, holding his arms open for her. "We need to get you to the castle quick." She didn't ever argue when he picked her up and began running toward the castle, flanked by her brother-in-law and his cousin.

a/n: You got an update. Please don't hate me! And please review!


	58. Chapter 58

Dean finally set Hermione down when they were on the third floor of the castle. They all heard the screams from outside. It was obvious that there would be casualties.

"Go," Hermione told her friend, seeing the fear mixed with longing in his eyes. "We can make it to the hospital wing from here on our own."

Dean shook his head. "No, I'm not leaving you till I know that you're safe!"

Just then a stray curse hit the wall of the castle. Dean firmly pushed her out of harm's way and into Regulus's awaiting arms. A good piece of the wall was missing—five square feet. They were captivated a moment by the scene before them. They seemed to be winning as Death Eater after Death Eater was either captured or lying dead on the ground. She'd been right. He wasn't able to obtain many more followers—maybe ten. And they were young, inexperienced and not loyal.

Now there was only one threat and they all watched in horror as that threat made his way towards Sirius, James and Lily.

It didn't seem real. This wasn't right. It was the final battle, that much was obvious. But it wasn't the battle she'd imagined it to be. It shouldn't be James, Lily and Sirius facing off with the Dark Lord, with Voldemort. It was supposed to by Harry, her and Ron—the Golden Trio. But neither of them was born yet and here she was, running. The reason she came back was right in front of her face and she was running away. If Lily and Jame died there was be no Harry. If Sirius died…she couldn't even think that thought as she pulled away from Regulus and ran toward the wall her wand at the ready.

Just as Voldemort pulled his arm back in a motion she recognized as the beginning wand movement of the killing curse, Hermione did the same, shouting the curse only seconds before the words left his mouth. Her husband and friends seemed to be on the same page as their motions mimicked hers, completely in sync. She smiled a moment as James's head shot in her direction. It was like he was reading her mind, just like his son. It was only a split second before he was distracted again.

She didn't get to see Voldemort fall because in that moment, she fell as well. Dean was right behind her, to catch her before she hit the ground, scooping her into his arms and carrying her bridal style as he continued to run, shouting orders.

"Tonks, go tell Pomfrey we're on our way and to be ready. She's not breathing. Reg, go get Sirius and help round up the remaining Death Eaters! Now! Both of you! GO!" he shouted when the stood frozen in place.

Slb slb slb slb slb

The voices were so far away in her head. It was like she was submerged underwater and they were calling out to her from the surface. There was Sirius. She was fairly sure it was his large hand holding onto hers as he spoke, pleading with her to just open her eyes. Then there was Lily in the background sobbing. James trying to comfort her. Madame Pomfrey and Elizabeth were discussing her care with Professor McGonagall. She wondered vaguely where the rest were.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind it was answered as Remus was heard telling his friend that he was sure "she'll be fine" and Dean informed them that Dumbledore and Harold had a long day ahead of them at the ministry still. Day? But it was afternoon when the battle started. How long was she sleeping?

She tried to open her eyes but it felt like they were glued shut. She had so many questions! Then it was all quiet again.

It felt like forever before the voices returned. They seemed more afraid now. Madame Pomfrey was telling Sirius something. From the sounds of it, it was something he didn't like. She exhausted herself, using such strong magic in her state was too much. They didn't know if she'd come back to them. Come back? She wondered what they meant. She was right here! Couldn't they see? They were telling him that the baby would be born soon. But that must mean it was September or October now. It was only just June. After the baby was born they wanted him to consider letting her go. Go? Go where? He shouted the words just as she was thinking them. She wasn't going anywhere.

And then it was quiet again.

The next time she heard the voices they came with intense pain. Finally! Finally her eyes shot open as she screamed out in agony. It was the middle of the night. She could see the darkness from the window near her bed.

Someone else screamed as well and the room was flooded in light. Sirius shot out of the chair next to her bed as a twelve year old that she recognized as a first year Gryffindor the year before ran from the room in fear.

He was dirty. His hair was mangled and knotted and oily and he desperately needed a shave was he was there as soon as her eyes opened. Locking around further she was James lying on a pallet on the floor, his messy black hair inches longer and his body gaunt as if he hadn't been eating. The gold band on his left hand didn't go unnoticed. Dean was there too. On the chair on the other side of her bed. Their eyes were all open and filled with tears. Sirius looked like he wanted to say something but no words would come out.

"BLOODY HELL!" she screamed just as Madame Pomfrey ran into the room.

"Welcome back, Mrs. Black," the old witch greeted with tears in her own eyes. "Just in time to meet your daughter."

a/n: Almost done! One more chapter. Probably by the end of next week. Happy Easter all!


	59. Chapter 59

Harry Potter laughed as he watched the Weasley twins zipping past the window with the Prewett twins close behind them. They were supposed to be practicing quidditch for the upcoming season but somehow Fred and George managed to sneak water balloons into the sky. A stupid plan really as they weren't allowed to use magic outside of school yet and their uncles…well they were. The younger set of twins lost control of the situation quickly. It caught him off guard when a balloon flew through the open window. He barely jumped out of the way in time. In the process, however, he backed into a shelf in his Uncle Sirius's attic.

He loved it here. Sirius lived less than a mile from Harry's grandparents and only a mile from his own house. Regulus and Remus, Harry's other two uncles each lived close as well. None of them were his father's biological brothers, Harry knew, but that never seemed to matter. His father called them brothers, his grandparents called them sons, and they called him their nephew. It wasn't the most normal family in the traditional sense of the word but Harry Potter never did care much for normal. It reminded him far too much of his mum's stuffy sister, her annoying husband and their bratty son. Harry wondered vaguely if they would be there later today as he watched a small box fall from the top of the shelf that he'd just inadvertently backed into. Today was Harry's eleventh birthday. It was also Lizzie's eleventh birthday. Lizzie was Harry's favorite cousin, Sirius's second daughter. For as long as he could remember he'd wanted a twin like Fred and George had but he obviously didn't have one.

Lizzie was the next best thing. They were the same age. They were best friends. They spent every day together. And sometimes it was like they could read each other's minds, granted that wasn't all too unusual in the wizarding world.

Harry stooped down to pick up the box and place it back on the high shelf when something fell out, catching his eye. It was a bracelet. It looked to be three strands of white gold braided together. He wondered why something so pretty would be hidden away in a box in the attic and decided to take a closer look. Most of the engraving was unreadable but he could make out the last few words. "All you and always, Harry."

That was peculiar. He was the only Harry he knew. There was his grandfather of course, the man he was named after but everyone always called him his full name, Harold.

Letting his curiosity get the better of him Harry lifted the lid off of the box and scanned the contents a little further. There wasn't much: an old Gryffindor robe, a quidditch jersey with "Potter" scrawled on the back, a photo album and a yellowed piece of parchment. He spread the contents in front of him as a sense of calm unlike any he'd ever felt before spread inside of him. These things were different. He could tell. But why?

He opened the album first looking at faces that were familiar but so different. The only faces that he recognized completely were the Weasleys but even that didn't seem right. Who was the girl with bushy brown hair? It looked so much like his Aunt 'Mione. He'd always felt so close to her for some reason. She just seemed to understand him in a special way. As he looked further into the album the Weasley's got older. He was almost positive that was Ron but Ron was only a few months older than Harry and he looked sixteen in the final picture of the album and he was standing next to that girl again and a boy who looked a lot like Harry's own father but with green eyes like Harry's own.

He reached for the parchment next and his jaw dropped as he read.

"Harry!" he heard his cousin yell up the stairs. "Harry! Come down here! They're here!"

He knew what she meant of course. It was their Hogwarts letters. Somehow they didn't seem as important as they were moments earlier. In a daze he repacked the box and headed toward the stairs, holding it in front of him as if he were afraid it might explode.

Uncle Sirius and Aunt 'Mione were cuddled together on the couch when Harry entered the room. His own parents were close by, along with his other two uncles and their wives, and the Snapes, Longbottoms and Daniels. Their children were his best friends the same way the adults were his parents best friends. Along with the extra-large Weasley family, Harry couldn't remember an important event, or any event, in his life that these people hadn't been there for. He couldn't remember a single day that went by without one of them there actually. All people he'd known since before he was born. All people he trusted completely. All people who'd been hiding something very important from him his entire life.

"Is it hard?" he heard Dean, Aunt 'Mione's best friend, ask in a low whisper as he neared. "Seeing them all? It was around this time that you met them after all?"

She only smiled and shook her head.

"Finally!" Lizzie called when she saw him enter the room. "I've been waiting to open my letter!"

Harry just walked past her as if he didn't hear a word.

"Son, you cousin's talking to you!" his mum reprimanded catching everyone's attention.

His father, uncles and aunts all looked at him at once and he watched as their faces turned from realization to shock to fear to relief in only seconds. It wasn't all of them that grasped the seriousness of what he was holding of course. Even his mum didn't seem to understand fully. No it was just Aunt 'Mione, Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus, Uncle Reg, Dean, Severus and his father that understood. Harry walked right up to them and placed the box on his aunt's lap without a word. He didn't know what to say. It just didn't seem real. It didn't seem possible. But Harry knew in his world anything was possible.

"We were going to tell you," his dad started to explain.

"It just never seemed the right time," Sirius continued.

"I mean, you still so young," his dad started again.

"We couldn't even believe it when it first happened," Remus added.

'Mione was silent. He thought for a moment if he'd always called her that, even…before. Sirius and Dean were the only other people who did. His mum said it's just how it came out the first time he said it and it stuck but he wondered now. He barely even called her "aunt" unless he was talking about her to someone else. Then he said "my aunt." He always addressed her as "Mione."

He watched as she ran her fingers lightly over the lid of the box before opening it. She looked through the contents and her brow furrowed. Harry reached into his own pocket and pulled the bracelet out, handing it to her.

She smiled at him. In that way that only she could. The way that always made him feel secure.

"What's that Mummy?" Sirina, his older cousin, asked.

"Yes, what is it Mum?" Lizzie seconded.

Their mother didn't respond but his father did. "Your mum's a brave witch, you know?"

"Yes," Sirina answered. "You've told us all about the war."

James just shook his head. "It's so much more than that. Harry, she's the best friend you've ever had and you never even knew it."

"Best friend any of the kids has ever had," Severus corrected.

"Best friend anyone here has ever had," Dean insisted looking at his own son as he spoke.

"What's going on?" the children persisted.

"Get comfortable," James told them. "It's a long story."

a/n: Wow. I'm done. Just WOW! Review & I'll start working on my other unfinished stories soon. Thank you all for sticking with me with long!


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